Returning Home
by KaraLJ
Summary: And the story continues, 3 years after Kaylly went to New York to rescue her brothers, she's returned to Tulsa, in hopes of rekindling her love, her friendships, and possibly save a friend in trouble. But she gets more than she bargained for, when she finds out so much had changed. Does a visit from Ponyboy in her dreams point her in the right direction?
1. Introduction

3 years ago, I made the week long drive across the country, to save my brothers from a nightmare of a life, one I had left 6 years prior. I drove for long hours, and never stopped to second guess my decision to return to the family that had ruined any ounce of faith I may have had in humanity. Instead, I regretted leaving behind the man I loved, the best friend I cherished, and the gang who had raised me, supported me, and protected me through my entire life.

3 years ago, I left the life I loved to hate behind. Now, I'm returning home, with my youngest brother and our small family of dogs, to try and piece together the years I missed. A lot had changed in those 3 years. For one, Dallas Winston got himself killed only weeks after getting released from prison. For another, Johnny's parents pushed him over the edge, and without his 'hero' to guide him, he vanished. He'd been missing for 3 years, and I could only hope that returning to Tulsa would bring him out from under whatever rock he was hiding under.

Riley was only 16, but wanted to get away from our father, who was nothing but abusive. As for Timmy, Tyler and Tommy, well they all found lives for themselves. They stopped coming around a year ago, and left me to fend off my father, whenever he was high or heated. Or both for that matter. Riley became dependent on me, so when I told him we were going back to Tulsa, he had no objection. So when we loaded up the truck, and decided to take the dogs with us, he was equally as excited to see our home town, and return to a life of normality.

With Killer and his three puppies in the truck, we had to stop every few hours, unload, and let them stretch their legs. Killer had gotten out of the yard a year earlier, and had a litter of puppies with an elderly farmer's sheep dog. The puppies were then divided because the man did not have time to care for 12 dogs. We took 3, which we named Grace, Hero, and Temptation. Grace and Temptation were tiny compared to their brother, Hero, who looked exactly like his father, only furrier.

"How much farther do you reckon?" Riley asked early one morning after he woke up. I'd been driving for 18 straight hours, wanting to kill as much time as possible.

"We just crossed the state boarder, so I reckon a few more hours," I said sleepily. Even though Riley was old enough to drive, and had is permit, I refused to let him drive the distance. He didn't mind too much, because he'd rather spend the time watching the trees. It was early fall, but already the trees were changing colors.

"So by tomorrow?" he asked eagerly.

"Prolly," I said with a smile.

We drove in silence after that, each lost in our own thoughts. It was hard to believe how close he and I had grown those last three years. We rarely ever went a day without sitting down and talking about this that or the next thing. We always ate our meals together, and he was becoming more and more like Soda had been. Riley was always hyper active, but not the brightest of the boys. He loved to run around and ride the horses up at the ranch, and loved the fact that no one called him a Greaser up in New York. I had warned him that things were different in Tulsa. We were who we were, and there was no changing that. Life in the country couldn't break a Greaser, no more than a year in jail.

"Do ya reckon Darry'll have waited for you?" Riley asked suddenly, taking me by surprise.

"Soda said he did, but I'm not too sure," I said honestly. I had spoken to Soda a few weeks earlier, and told him we planned to come down sometime soon. He said that was real fine, and said he and Darry couldn't wait to see us. That was when he filled us in on Dally and Johnny.

As the day passed, I grew sleepy, and finally decided to pull the truck over. It was a cool night, but nothing we couldn't handle, as we moved the crated around in the truck's bed, and laid blankets down, watching the stars as we began to doze off, four very hyper dogs surrounding us.

"Hey Kay?" Riley asked right as I was about to drop off.

"Yeah?" I asked tiredly.

"Why do you love Darry so much? I always pictured you fallin' for Sodapop," he said.

"Darry...well Darry's Darry. Somethin' about him makes my heart melt. Soda's like a brother to me, you remind me a lot of him when he was your age," I said with a soft smile. "Now go to sleep kid, we'll be home in the morning,"

I woke early that morning, and softly picked Riley up and laid in him the front of the truck, before crating the dogs again. They weren't too thrilled about the arrangement, but Killer seemed to know we were heading home. I think he missed Tulsa almost as much as I had. He was getting old, and you could see it in his eyes. He wanted to die where he was born.

When I drove up the dusty road and stopped in front of the Curtis house, everything seemed so real, yet so dream like. The house looked the same, except the stairs had been repainted. The newspaper sat on the porch, just waiting for Darry to wake up and bring it in. I looked at the time, and saw it was just half past six. Too early to make my arrival known. Instead, I leaned against the door of the truck, and fell asleep, so overly exhausted from the drive, it was a wonder I even got us there in one piece.

It felt good to be home, after all those years. No matter how much had changed, I felt like this was where I was meant to be. Home, with the family I loved beyond words.

"Welcome home," I whispered as I finally dropped off into the first peaceful sleep I'd had since leaving Tulsa what seemed like a lifetime ago.

* * *

_A/n;; And the story continues, 3 years after Kaylly went to New York to rescue her brothers, she's returned to Tulsa, in hopes of rekindling her love, her friendships, and possibly save a friend in trouble. But she gets more than she bargained for, when she finds out so much had changed. Does a visit from Ponyboy in her dreams point her in the right direction? Or does she continue to fight with herself, until finally, she gives in? _


	2. Chapter 1

I woke up only an hour or two later, and nudged Riley. He jerked awake, and gave me a funny look.

"Sorry, it's creepy sitting outside my boyfriend's house this early in the morning," I laughed. He smiled and got out of the truck, letting Killer follow him.

"Well then, stop sitting outside your boyfriend's house," Riley laughed. He handed me the leashes for he pups and I took a hint. I climbed out of the truck and clipped the puppies to the leashes.

"Let's put the puppies in the backyard, they must have recently installed the fence," I said, nodding towards the newly finished metal gate. We left the puppies to their own affairs and brought Killer around front with us. It was early on a Sunday morning, and I knew for a fact that both brothers were off work.

"You just gonna walk in?" Riley asked, his eyes growing wide when I pushed the door open.

"Yeah, it's normal," I said with a smile. I was taken by surprise when I felt arms wrap around me in an awkward hug.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I missed you girl!" Steve said into my hair. I wiggled out of his hug and smiled brightly.

"I missed you too, Steve," I laughed. "Are the guys still asleep?"

"Yeah. I crashed here after the rumble last night, they're still asleep, and Two-Bit's god knows where," Steve said. I smiled and nodded towards Riley.

"You remember my baby brother, right?" I asked. Steve nodded and stuck out his hand. Riley shook it, then looked at me funny.

"Well c'mon, get in here, you're letting the heat out," I laughed. He came in and shut the door, then shifted his weight, looking scared.

"C'mon, we used to come here all the time as kids," I laughed. "They don't bite,"

"I know," he said softly. It was funny. He was such a quiet kid.

I made my way into the kitchen, and started cooking breakfast. I threw a cake in the oven, then made some eggs the way they liked them.

"Who's cooking?" I heard a muffled voice ask. "Darry, you're up already?"

"I am now. Are you cooking?" Darry asked from his bedroom. It was so funny, I almost laughed.

"Killer, go get Darry," I whispered. The dog wagged his tail and ran into the bedroom, barking happily.

"What the -!" Darry yelped.

Minnie bolted out of Soda's room and barked happily, her little tail wagging.

"Is that Killer?" Soda asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes. I froze next to the fridge and hid a laugh.

"It's Killer alright," Darry said, his voice sounding concerned. "And if he's here..." his voice got excited.

"Kaylly!" Soda let out a gleeful hoot. He ran into the kitchen and literally, threw me to the ground. He pulled me up and hugged me tighter than I'd ever been hugged before.

"Can't...Breathe!" I gasped, giving him a playful punch.

"Glory! We missed you!" he said, his voice ten times louder than needed.

"I missed you too kiddo," I laughed as I picked myself up. Darry stood in the doorway, his eyes wide, a smile plastered to his face.

"You came back," he whispered. I smiled and ran into his arms. He picked me up and spun me around. Our lips connected, and warmth filled my veins. There was so much passion, so much love poured into those two minutes, that when he finally set me down, my legs were like jello.

"I missed you so much," I whispered, grabbing him by the front of his shirt, wrapping my tiny arms around his waist. I could have lived in that moment forever, if it wasn't for a cold nose pressing it's way between us.

"Hey there Minnie Mouse, gosh, I sure did miss you," I said as I picked her up. She licked my nose happily, before wiggling out of my arms, running to the back door.

"You can kill me later," I told Darry as I opened the back door, three very hungry puppies running inside.

"The gate!" I yelped, lunging after Temptation, who had a chewing problem.

Soda latched the babygate, which surprisingly, was right where I left it three years earlier.

"Puppies?" Darry raised an eyebrow.

"Killer got out, and ended up with pups," Riley said, pulling Hero over. Hero whined and looked up at Darry, his eyes begging for a treat.

"Hold on, I'll get your food out of the truck in a second," I laughed. The kitchen suddenly felt too small. I flinched and backed up, feeling caged, trapped.

Riley noticed. He'd seen the panic cross my face more than once. It didn't happen much anymore, but it had started up again when I first went up to New York. My father used to corner me, to beat the day lights out of me and ever since I went and saw them, I had a problem being restricted, cornered.

"Kay," Riley nodded towards the door. Our eyes locked as I silently mouthed _thank you_ as I walked out the back door and lit a cigarette the second the cool air hit my skin.

I felt a hand on my back moments later, and jumped. Darry turned me so I was facing him, his eyes showing concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft, tender.

"Yeah, yeah. There's a lot things I have to tell you about, later though, okay?" I said softly, leaning on him, my heart still racing.

"Alright, I'm off all day, so," Darry said lightly. We sat down and shared a silent moment together. It felt so good to be back, normal. I leaned against him, letting his steady heartbeat, letting my own slow down to match his. I closed my eyes and smiled as the warmth from the sun eased the fear from my bones.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't come back," Darry whispered. "After Dally died, we were all sure you'd come running home, and when you didn't, I thought it was over."

"I wanted to, so badly, but I was needed at home. I was working the ranch, while my old man was drinkin' his life away. Someone had to bring in the money," I explained, remembering back to the day I learned about Dally's death. "Riley begged me not to rush off, said if I left, they'd surely lose the farm."

"So you stayed," Darry said with a nod.

"Yes, but it didn't matter. We lost the farm in the end anyway. At least, we were when we packed up and left. The boys all moved out and found their own places, and I was tired of our father knocking Riley and me around whenever somethin' didn't go his way. So we packed up the dogs and left," I said, a shiver running through my spine.

"How'd you know we...I waited?" Darry asked. I hadn't spoken to him after I left Tulsa, it hurt too much to try to. I had called Soda a number of times though – he was the one who kept me up to date.

"I talked to Soda before coming back," I admitted.

"Why didn't you just call? Damnit Kay, three years is a mighty long time," Darry shook his head.

"Because in a way, I wanted you to find someone else. Because I never deserved someone as amazing as you," I said softly. He lightly turned me, so I was facing him. He wiped a tear from my eye, and smiled.

"There ain't no one else I'd ever want, Kaylly, no one," he said firmly. I smiled at that, and leaned in, letting my lips brush his.

"Okay, come on, you two love birds," Riley laughed, tossing a leash at me. I grabbed it and looked up at my baby brother.

"What?" I asked, giving him _The _look.

"We need to walk these puppies, before they tear a hole in the floor," he said, as he slowly handed Hero to me. The hyper active puppy wiggled until I had the leash clipped to his collar.

"Darry and I'll take 'em," I said, smiling at Darry. It would be nice to have a few minutes alone with him for a change.

"You sure? Killer and Minnie need to go out too – do you really think you can handle five dogs?" Riley asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Boy, I handled the dogs, the horses, the cats and the cattle all at once up on the ranch. Five dogs ain't nothin'" I laughed. He laughed at my accent. That was the one thing I hated. I had picked up on the New York accent, and now had a weird southern slash northern accent.

"If you say so," Riley laughed as he leashed the other dogs and handed them over. I handed Darry Killer and Hero, as I took control of the girls. They were hyper, eager to explore. Except for Minnie, who kept nudging Killer.

"Riley, tell Soda to clean up the house," I called over my shoulder as Darry and me made our way down the dusty road.

"It's good to have you back," Darry said as we turned the corner. I smiled and pulled softly on the leashes, trying to keep the dogs in line.

"It's good to be back. I've sure missed this place," I said honestly.

We walked down to the Park, which had been cleaned up since I last saw it, and gave the dogs some time to explore, as we sat and caught up. A lot went down those last three years, and it felt nice, to have a normal, undramatic moment with Darry, without the whole gang there to screw things up.


	3. Chapter 2

When we returned home later that afternoon, Riley and I unloaded the truck, and moved the crates into the backyard. I then gave him the task of whether proofing the crates, since there was only one dog house in the back yard, and the pups were used to living outside. Temptation whined when I gated her into the kitchen so I could give her much smaller, much dirtier sister Grace, a much needed bath. She managed to roll herself in something when we were out on the walk, and needed a good cleaning.

"Killer, go keep your daughter calm," I told the old dog, who just looked at me tiredly from his spot across the hall. I noticed a few months back, that he was slowing down. He was only 7, but he'd been through hell and back. Temp started to howl midway through Grace's bath, causing me to go down to the kitchen and pick her up. She was getting big, but still loved being carried around.

"How do you manage keeping up with four dogs?" Soda asked as he rubbed Grace's fur dry.

"Easy. I used to let them run along side the horses, when I'd take them out for a run. They loved it. Temp and Grace are excellent herd dogs, I just might sell them as such soon. Because I highly doubt they're going to settle down," I said sadly. The only reason I had brought them along was because my father threatened to shoot them if I left them on the ranch.

"What about Hero?" he asked, eying the huge jet black dog. Hero was the same size as his father, but had his mother's dark coat.

"Hero's a city dog. He's protective, like Killer was as a puppy. He'll do great, I think," I said. Riley came over to us and picked up Grace, who was whimpering.

"We're not getting rid of Gracey," he growled, anger flashing in his eyes.

"I never said it was set in stone, but Riley, you have to get enrolled in school or get a job, you can't just lounge around anymore. And I have to get a job, and no one's home all day. It's not fair to keep the girls penned up, when they'd rather be out chasing cattle," I said softly. This was a common discussion between us. Riley was extremely close to the two smaller puppies, and hated even the thought of giving them up.

"I don't care. I'll get a job that lets me bring her to work with me," he growled, stomping out the front door, the small dog locked in his arms. I shook my head. Sometimes I hated being that child's guardian.

"Was I that bad when I was his age?" Soda asked, his eyes widening.

"No. You were a good kid," I laughed, thinking back. "Riley's just going through a lot. He's a great kid, normally really easy going and happy, but lately, he's just been through a lot," I said softly. Riley was a sweet kid growing up, for the few years I'd been around to know him. But he was constantly moody these last few months. I think our father finally really got to him.

Killer whined and got up, his thinning body swaying as he padded over to the front door, where he let out a low bark. I followed him and opened the door. Killer didn't stray anymore. He went out and laid down on the bottom stair, his fur blowing in the wind.

"That dog looks like he's ready to keel over," a voice chimed. I looked up to see Two-Bit walking up the sidewalk, a smile plastered to his face. "Good to see you, Ms. 'I'm gonna move across the country and not tell anyone',"

"Hey Two-Bit. How's it goin'?" I smiled as I gave him a hug.

"Alls good 'round these necks of the woods," he joked. "What 'bout you? New York not your style?"

"Naw, I missed this hell hole," I laughed as I scratched Killer's head. He whined and licked my hand tiredly.

"Why's the dog look so old?" Two-Bit asked, taking a seat on the steps. He pushed the leaves out of the way and motioned for me to join him.

"He got ran over by a pick up 2 years ago, and just been goin' downhill since," I said, rubbing the dogs head. He whined, his tail thumping softly against Two-Bit's leg.

"Ever think of puttin' him down?" Two-Bit asked cautiously.

"I have. I just can't bear the thought, ya dig?" I said softly.

"Yeah, yeah," Two-Bit let it drop.

We sat in silence, passing a cigarette back and forth. We watched as the sun began to set. It felt weird, watching leaves shine in the setting sun.

"Tell my brother I'll be back in an hour or so," I told Two-Bit as I stood and dusted the dirt off my jeans. He cocked an eyebrow, but didn't ask any questions. If anything, he'd finally learned that sometimes, I would just take off.

Killer jumped in the passenger seat of the truck, his legs shaking from the effort. I drove down to the cemetery and parked on the side of the road. Helping Killer out of the truck, I watched as his sides heaved. He was clearly in pain. I rubbed his head and lead the way through the headstones. I placed my hand on Ponyboy's momentarily before continuing. I wasn't sure of where exactly Dally had been buried, but I was prepared to search until I found it. I let my feet lead the way, and after nearly 45 minutes of searching, I found his headstone. There were no flowers on his grave. That made me sad. I knew Dally had been the toughest of our gang, but that didn't mean he didn't deserve visitors.

I sat down on the dry dirt and leaned back, my back pressed against his headstone. Killer curled up next to me and laid his head on my lap.

"Damnit Dally, what did I tell you? I told you not to go and get killed on me. I wanted to see your wild self when I came back home," I growled. I closed my eyes, and thought back to the last time I spoke to Dally. It had been a cold afternoon in March. I'd called him while he was still in jail.

"_Dally, you gotta pull yourself together, man, you're fucking your life up," I had told him. _

"_I know, but you ain't doin' much better. Why the fuck did you go to New York? You know your ol' man ain't want you," he'd argued. He was always straight to the point._

"_My brother's needed me," I explained. He argued that it was a bad idea, that I'd just end up hurt._

"_I need you here, Lee-Lee," he'd sighed, using a petname I hadn't heard in years._

"_I'm always here, whether I'm in New York, or Tulsa, or Timbuktu, Dally, I'm always here," I promised. _

_We ended the conversation with a sad goodbye, and a promise to get in touch the moment he got out of jail._

_That moment never came though. Dallas was shot down three weeks after his release, for trying to rob a gas station. _

"Damnit, Dally. What happened?" I cried, letting the tears fall from my eyes.

Sitting there sent me into countless flashbacks from those last three years.

_It was freezing when I finally reached the house. I had gotten lost four times before finally finding the old ranch house. How my father managed to afford it was beyond me. I pulled up the gravel drive, Killer barking happily in the front seat, his tail wagging wildly. I could smell the horses long before I saw them. The drive seemed to be a mile long, and when I finally pulled up into the driveway in front of the house, I was shocked to see my youngest brother huddled on the porch, only a thin jacket covering his skinny frame._

"_Riley Micheal what in god's name are you doing outside?" I barked the moment I was out of the truck._

_My baby brother looked up at me, his face bruised, his lip bleeding. Something snapped inside me as I stormed into the house and yelled my father's name._

_The moment he stepped into my field of view, I punched him so hard in the face, that he actually fell back. He lunged at me, and threw me against the floor with so much force, it knocked the wind out of me. _

_Several punches later, he backed off, and slammed through the back door, not returning until noon the following day. _

_I sported that shiner for a whole week, before it finally faded enough for me to explore the new property. That was how I ended up working the ranch, which was actually owned by the elderly farmer next door. He had sold the house to my father, under the agreement that he and the boys worked the ranch for him. When I took over, the crops flourished and the livestock fared better than they had the year before. _

I glanced at Killer, who had fallen silently at my side. I ran my hand down his side, and realized he wasn't breathing. I sucked in a shaking breath as I pushed him off me, and pressed my hand to where his heart was. It was still, soundless. Tears rolled down my eyes as reality sunk in.

Maybe coming home wasn't such a good idea afterall. I walked slowly back to the truck and pulled the old plaid blanket from the bed, and draped it over my old buddy's stiffening body.

"Watch out for eachother," I whispered as I got back into the truck, and for the first time in 7 years, drove off, without my loyal friend at my side.


	4. Chapter 3

I didn't go into the house when I got back to the house, instead, I curled up under the tree in the backyard and waited for Hero to come over. When he sniffed my hands, his ears went back, before he let out a loud, sad howl. Temptation scratched open the door and joined her brother in mourning. Riley must have been back because not long after, tiny Grace came outside, her tail low, ears back, as she let out a high pitched howl. The dogs came over to me, each with sad looks in their eyes as they laid down. Hero, much too big to be a lap dog, but determined enough, climbed into my lap and pressed his furry head against my face. I broke down and sobbed into his thick fur, my entire body shaking. I begged for answers, clarity, anything. I begged for something to not die on me. Something to hang onto.

I soon felt warm arms lock around me as someone pulled me into their lap. I took a shaking breath, and realized it was Darry. He kissed the top of my head and rocked back and forth, hugging me so tight, it hurt. I don't know how he knew, but he did. He kept saying that everything was going to be okay, but I couldn't believe him. I just kept losing the people I loved, over and over and over. My heart felt as if it had been ripped from my body, as tears filled my throat. I coughed and pulled back, gasping for breath, crying harder than I'd ever cried before.

The night was cold, and eventually, I was forced inside. I sank into the couch and refused to move. Riley looked devastated, but tried his best to cheer me up. Soda did the same, but no one managed to shake me from the sorrow that filled my heart. The pups were let inside, but none of them wanted to be touched. Minnie sat at the back door, as if waiting for her long lost friend to come home.

It was Steve who finally got through to me, late into the night.

"Dogs die, Kay, it's part of life," he said softly. His words felt like a knife stabbing me in the chest. But his words were true. All the warning signs had been there. Every time Killer fell ill since being hit, I'd silently begged for God to end his suffering. I guess my prayers were answered, just at the worst of times.

We sat in silence after that. Steve in the arm chair, Riley on a makeshift bed on the floor, Soda and Darry in their bedrooms. I didn't move until my legs started to tingle and Hero walked to the door, letting out a low whimper.

"Want to go out?" I asked him softly. He seemed to nod his jet black, furry head as I reached for the leash. Clipping it to his leather collar, I opened the front door and led him outside. The cold air froze me for a moment, then I found something nice about it.

We walked to the lot, where I sat down on the cold gravel, letting the big puppy warm my bare skin. We sat there watching the stars as they moved across the sky. When the sun started to rise, I led Hero home, where he quietly curled up on the floor next to Riley, who had slept soundly, for the first time in as long as I dared to remember. I tiptoed into Darry room and slipped under the thick covers. Instinctively, he wrapped his arm around me, and I fell asleep to the warmth of his embrace.

* * *

"Hey Sissy?" Riley whispered, shaking me softly. I rolled over and opened my eyes slowly, the bright light shining through the closed curtain.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Did you leave the gate open last night?" he whispered, not wanting to wake Darry up. I looked at the clock, it was 9. Which meant the boys must have had off work, since Darry was still asleep next to me.

"No, why?" I asked slowly.

"Because the dogs are gone," he whispered, his voice shaking.

I rolled off the bed, landing hard on my knees, the wood floor cold to the touch.

"Are you sure?" I asked, louder than I'd intended.

"What's going on?" Darry asked tiredly.

"Nothing, honey, go back to sleep," I said, changing my tone instantly. I leaned over and kissed his cheek, before pushing Riley out of the bedroom. I closed the door softly, and padded over to Soda's room. He was laying awake in his bed, his eyes on the ceiling.

"Soda? Get dressed," I said in a hushed tone, before dragging Riley into the kitchen.

"What do you mean the dogs are gone?" I asked, opening the back door. Sure enough, the yard was empty.

"They're no where, I looked everywhere," Riley's tone changed from one of worry to one of sure panic.

"Calm down. You stay here and make breakfast, or coffee, or something, and me and Soda will drive through town and look for 'em," I said, still half asleep.

"What are we doing?" Soda asked, coming into the kitchen. I passed him a slice of cake and a fork, and pulled him with me, grabbing my keys off the table in the process.

"Eat and walk, boy," I half hissed. I explained to him that the dogs seemed to have gotten out at some point, and that Riley was slowly snapping. If I didn't come home with those dogs, that child would lose it completely.

"Where ya think they went?" Soda asked sleepily, getting cake crumbs all over my truck.

"I haven't the slightest idea," I said truthfully. I drove slowly, looking through yards, under park benches, everywhere. A thought came to mind, but it frightened me.

"Soda, you don't think a Soc stole the dogs do you?" I asked. He gave me a funny look but seemed to consider it.

"It's possible?" he asked, his eyes widening. "Did you see Minnie before we left?" he asked suddenly.

"No? I assumed she was in your room?" I turned to look at him, keeping on eye on the road.

"No. I thought maybe she slept with the puppies," Soda's face drained of color.

"Okay, stay calm. We'll find them. Minnie does know her way around, so let's assume the puppies are with her," I said softly.

As we drove, I decided to stay onto the other side of town. As bad an idea as that was, it was good I did. Soda spotted the dogs before I could. Minnie was chained to a pole, her fur wet, her tiny body shivering so violently, you could see it from the truck. I saw the puppies chained a little ways away. Surrounding them, was a group of Socs, maybe six or seven.

"I'm gonna -" Soda started, but I cut him off.

"You're going to go over to that pay phone, call the house, and tell whoever answers to get the gang together, that's what you're gonna do. Tell them to find Shepherd's gang too, we need the numbers," I said in a hushed tone as I parked the truck next to a pay phone around the block.

Soda came back to the truck a few minutes later, and told me that they were on their way – that they'd take a back street and meet us where we were. I nodded at that and kept my eyes locked on the dogs. Hero was favoring his back leg, and Grace's white coat looked like it was covered with blood or mud, from the car I couldn't tell. Temptation was laying motionless on the ground. Minnie was snapping at her kidnapper, her teeth bared.

It took almost a half hour for the gang to assemble. We all got out and in hushed tones, figured out a game plan. I had papers for the puppies, but no one had proof of ownership over Minnie, and I knew how important that dog was to Soda, so getting the fuzz involved was outta the question. Riley was at home still, thankfully, so we thought about jumping the Socs, but my concern was the dogs. They looked hurt, and I wasn't about to risk losing any of them, nor any of the gang. So we decided to split up. Darry and I would try to see if we could calmly talk them into backing off, and if that didn't work, Steve, Soda, Two-Bit, Tim, Curly and someone whose name I didn't know would move in and then we'd jump them.

I pulled my hair into a long ponytail and nodded to Darry, who slung an arm across my shoulders. We walked across the street slowly, my hand only inches from the switch that was stuck in my back pocket.

"Yo, those are my dogs," I said in a calm voice. The group looked up, and laughed.

"Sorry, Greaser, these dogs are ours," one hooted, his laughter sending shivers down my spine. "Ain't that right boys?"

The group all laughed, as someone kicked Hero in the side. He yelped, his tail tucked between his legs.

"We have papers for them dogs," Darry said, his voice booming, echoing in the street.

"Papers don't matter, them dogs are ours," the tallest one growled. Minnie yapped angrily, trying to pull herself from the thick chain. I removed the blade from my pocket, that was the cue. Our gang surrounded them, and as the fight broke out, Soda and I unchained the dogs.

"Get them back to the truck," I hissed in his ear as I picked up Temptation. Grace whined, her back leg limp at her side. Hero started limping towards the truck the moment the chain was free. I carried Temptation as Soda quickly carried Grace and Minnie. After the dogs were locked in my truck, we ran back and joined the fight. I jumped on the guy who kicked my dog. The fight was messy. I'd discarded my blade as soon as I'd grabbed the dogs, and I'd been outta fighting for so long, that it didn't take long for the guy to pin me. I heard sirens roaring in the distance and screamed that everyone clear out.

We tore out of there just in time.

Back at the house, I tended to the dogs while Riley tended to the few wounds our gang had received. Shepherd's gang hadn't stuck around long, only long enough for me to thank them for coming through.

Minnie was alright, just scared and cold, so I wrapped her up in my jacket and laid her next to Soda, who was nursing a bruised shoulder. Hero had a cracked rib and a sprained leg but was otherwise alright. Grace on the other hand, was real bad off. I couldn't tell for sure, but I was fairly certain she had some internal bleeding. I wrapped her in a blanket, and had to turn my attention to Temptation, who had received a broken leg and a cracked jaw.

I mended the other dogs, and threw down blankets, so they wouldn't further hurt themselves on the floors. I then went over to Grace, who was whining every time she took a breath.

"Riley, get in here," I called as I laid a damp cloth to the dog's side.

"Yeah?" he asked, his eyes widening when he saw how poorly Grace was doing.

"Go down to the pay phone and call Richie, tell him I need him to bring Thunder and Lightening up here, we're gonna have to sell those two in order to pay for Gracey's vet bills," I said softly. His eyes widened even more. Thunder and Lightening were my star colts. Both had been born the spring I first got the New York, and had been broken as soon as they could. The wild colts were excellent in races, and even more so in rodeos. I still had full ownership over both of them, and my beloved stallion Rocket, but had asked a stable hand to keep watch over them, until I could figure something out. Right before I left New York, I had been offered quite a large sum of money for the pair of colts, down here for our rodeos, and at the time, I'd declined, but I knew from experience that with Grace in the condition she was, and with Riley loving that dog more than life, we'd definitely need the money.

"But, Sissy, those are your prized colts," he gasped.

"And Gracey is part of my family, Riley, so get on the phone with Richie. I need this phone to see if Mr. Andrews can do a house call, Grace won't survive another car ride," I said softly. I pulled my little brother close and gave him a kiss on the top of his head. "I told you, when I came home, that I'd do anything and everything to see that you're happy. If that means selling my prized colts, so be it. At least I'll be able to see 'em in the rodeos," I said with a sad smile. I had taken up riding when I started working on the ranch in New York, but I had no love for the rodeo, even though my father had insisted that every horse be trained for it. Every horse except Rocket that is. Rocket was a wild stallion, who had no problem kicking and biting. But he was my giant monster, who I loved almost as much as my family.

"Why can't you just take the dog down to the vet's place?" Darry asked softly.

"I'm afraid to move her, to be honest. I'm not entirely sure what's wrong, exactly, but she's bad off. I don't know what the Socs did to these dogs, but I ain't ever seen a dog as bad off as Gracey here," I said softly. I picked up the phone and dialed Mr. Andrews. He was the local animal doctor, who knew me fairly well, since I spent a portion of my childhood learning from him. He said he'd be over as soon as he could, but made no promises – a dog with internal bleeding was pretty much a dead dog.

Riley came back to the house about an hour later, and said that everything was taken care of. Richie would send someone down with the colts and the man who originally wanted to buy them agreed to now. So that meant we had a good five or six hundred dollars coming our way. Both colts were purebred, high prestige Thoroughbreds, from a long line of winding horses.

"Sissy, what if it's really bad?" Riley asked suddenly, tears in his eyes. He only slipped into calling me by my childhood nickname when he was really scared. Out of all of my brothers, he was the first to outgrow my nickname, but for him to call me it now showed just how worried he was.

"Riles, if Gracey doesn't make it, I promise you, I'll get you another puppy, any puppy in the world you'd want," I promised. It seemed silly, promising my 16 year old brother another dog, as if he were 6. But Riley was the baby of the family, next to Jenny, and some things just don't click right with him right away. Losing Killer was enough. Losing Gracey just might send him over the edge. He might have been a real tough kid, but he was still sensitive. He was still a little kid in a way.

Soda came into the kitchen and told Riley to follow him. It didn't surprise me in the least, because Soda could make anyone smile. Plus, I always thought Riley and Soda thought alike. I didn't think Soda's bein' 20 and Riley bein' only 16 would matter much. In the end, I had been right.

* * *

_A/n;; this chapter has a huge effect with the middle of the story, so hang tight. Note, most of the characters from this point on will be slightly ooc, because figure, they're all 3 years older now, so people change. _

_And as for the price for the two colts - I used . to calculate the money. :)  
_

_As always, thanks for the feedback! I can't wait to hear what you all thought!  
_


	5. Chapter 4

Mr. Andrews was at our house for over 8 hours, doing everything he could for Gracey. By the time he left, it was late into the afternoon. He had taken our tiny puppy with him, to see if he couldn't bring her through the night. Riley sat looking heartbroken on the couch, his knees pulled to his chest. I couldn't do anything to ease his pain, all I was thinkin' was how in the world I was going to deal with four hurt dogs and get a job, and get him enrolled in school.

I sat down at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in my hands, as I watched Hero limp towards the door. I got up and carried him down the stairs. He shivered as he limped over to the dog house and laid down. I let him be. Hero was a strong dog, he'd be fine.

I looked at the clock, and couldn't believe it was well past five. I had had plans to go down to the Shack and beg for my job back, but it'd have to wait until tomorrow. I knew it'd take about a week for the horses to come down from New York, so I had to figure that into everything too. Even if Gracey did make it through the night, there was no telling how long it'd take before she recovered, and I knew from experience, that an injured dog needed someone there 'round the clock to tend to them.

In that moment, I missed New York. Back on the ranch, there was always something to do to keep your mind off the problems. In the worst of cases, I would have brought out Rocket, and taken him up on the trails for a few hours.

Thinking about New York brought a flood of memories. Memories I wish I could have locked away for the rest of my life.

"_Daddy, you have to stop hitting Riley," I begged, sitting on the edge of the chair, tears rolling down my cheeks. My dad used to be so nice, such a warm, loving man. Up until mom died._

"_Kaylly, I told you time and time again, mouth off, get whipped. It's how my pa raised me, and it's how I intend to raise my children," he said, his eyes locked on the newspaper. "Now go feed the cattle, and bring the horses in, before the sun sets," he said. His voice was exactly how I used to remember it, kind, soft, warm. _

"_But daddy, I'm trying to talk to you," I pleaded. _

"_Kaylly Marie, do not make me tell you again," his voice boomed through the walls of the house._

"_But Daddy! Please! Listen!" I begged. I might have been 20, but I was his only living daughter. Somehow, I hoped reminding him of that would bring back to dad I knew for all those years. _

"_That's it!" he hollered. He dropped the paper and grabbed me by the arm. I didn't resist. I'd rather it be me than Riley. Riley, my 13 year old brother, the baby, the scared, beaten little boy. He slapped me across the face, before shoving me outside, into the snow covered yard._

"_Don't you come back in here until you've tended to the animals!" he shouted, slamming the door behind him. _

_I ran down the icy path, tears burning in my eyes. I ran into the paddock and whistled for Willow, our his old cattle dog, who barked happily, corralling the horses. I led them into the stable, one by one, the cold wind biting into my bare arms. Tears froze to my cheeks as I brushed the horses and locked each in their assigned stall for the night. _

_The cattle was a different story. Even with Willow and Killer chasing after them, they proved hard to corral They mooed bitterly, shivering against the freezing wind. _

_Tommy and Timmy joined me then, helping me move them into the sheltered pen, fed them, and then moved onto the chicken coop, which needed to be cleaned and locked for the night. _

_Against the wind, I heard a lone coyote howl. I looked into the darkness, a shiver running up my spine. I was out of my element, yet felt right at home, all in the same. Timmy told me to muck the empty stalls before he and Tommy brought in their horses for the night. I did as I was told silently, feeling like a kicked child all over again. _

_That night, I slept in the loft, Killer wrapped tightly around me, Riley laying just across. Neither of us wanted to face our father's drunken rage. Safety. That was all we longed for, all we ever dreamed for. Coming home seemed so wrong, so much of a mistake, that I almost got in my truck and drove the week long voyage across the country, only weeks after coming home. _

_Home, was that really what I called that nightmarish of a ranch? Home? I always thought home meant being safe. Being loved. Being cared for. I was so horribly wrong. _

"Kay?" a soft voice jerked me from my memories. I looked up to see Soda standing in the doorway. He was holding Minnie tightly in his arms. The little dog was content with being treated like a princess.

"Yes?" I replied slowly, tears still in my eyes.

"Riley's asking for you," he said softly. He came over and gave me a one armed hug, his voice soft when he added "Everything's going to be okay."

I almost believed him too.

I found Riley sitting on the front steps, Hero's huge head on his lap.

"Hey," I said as I sat down next to him and lit a cigarette. He looked up at me, his eyes rimmed with tears.

"What if he can't save her?" he asked, his eyes glassy, sad, lost.

"Then we'll deal with it. Like Steve said when Killer died yesterday, dogs die, Riles, it's part of life," I said gently. He turned away from me, the look in his eyes all too familiar.

"Listen, Riley, even if we lost every dog today, we'd still have each other, we'd still have the gang, we'd still have a family who loves us to death. I know you love the dogs, shoot, I love them too, but we can't play the role of god. If she doesn't make it, that's that," I said as gently as I could. I heard him let out a low sob. Hero whined and licked the tears as they fell. I felt awful for my brother, but I had a sick feeling that we'd be losing another dog that night.

It was a quiet evening. Darry and I retired early, and for the first time since we admitted our feelings to one another, we had a passionate, unforgettable evening. By the end of the night, we were both breathing heavy, blissful expressions on our faces.

"I love you," I breathed, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I love you," he whispered next to me as he pulled me close. I giggled softly and buried my head into his chest. In those few hours of bliss, I had forgotten all the painful memories, all the painful events that had happened. I was happy, sincerely happy, for the first time in as long as I could remember.

I woke the next morning and vaguely wondered why I was naked. Memories of the night before came rushing back and I smiled as I pulled on my clothes and grabbed the thin quilt from the bed. I padded into the kitchen to check on the dogs. That was when I noticed the house was too quiet. I walked into the livingroom and saw Riley clutching Temptation tightly in his arms, his body shaking as he cried silent tears.

"Riley?" I called softly. He looked up at me, and I knew. I walked over to him and placed a hand on the dog's side. She was stiff and cold. I took a deep breath and walked outside, pulling the quilt around my body as I lit a cigarette and watched as the sun rose over the brightly colored leaves. I tried to let the news sink in, but I couldn't absorb it. Maybe I was growing cold, numb to death. Or maybe I had just expected it. Hero barked from the back yard and I walked around and unlatched the gate, letting him run up the front steps and into the house.

We buried one of our friends that morning, under the old tree that once served as a reminder that life was beautiful. I didn't cry, even after Mr. Andrews called to tell us that Grace had passed away early that morning. I couldn't cry. Riley locked himself in the basement of the house, and no one dared to go after him.

I didn't cry, even after I drove the few miles out to retrieve Grace's body from the vet. Even as we buried her next to her sister, no tears were shed. Riley refused to look at me after he called me every name under the moon. I didn't feel anything. I felt numb.

That afternoon, as I walked down the gravel road down to the DX, I didn't feel anything. Even when I walked into the back of the shop and sat in my old car, that had grown dusty from sitting vacant for so many years. It wasn't until I pulled the winkled paper out of the glove department and read my mother's death notice for the millionth time, that tears finally came. So much death, in such a short lifetime. It was enough to kill anyone, drive anyone mad. First my mother, then Jenny, then Pony and Dally, Killer, Temptation, Grace.

I cried for what seemed like a lifetime, before finally getting a grip. In that moment of sorrow, I found myself thinking about Johnny Cade. It had been three years since I last saw him, three years since anyone had seen the boy we all looked at as a kid brother. Three years and not a single word. I found myself wondering where in the world he could have ended up. And with that, I found myself wondering where we were all going to end up, at the rate we were going. Would Darry ask me to marry him before something tore us apart again? Would Soda ever do anything other than work at the station and ride in rodeos? Would Two-Bit ever get a job? Would Riley ever come to terms with everything that had happened? Would I survive to become a mother? Would we make it?

As the sun began to set, late that afternoon, I found myself thinking these thoughts, as I walked through the park, where the nightmare had all began, so many years earlier.


	6. Chapter 5

It was quiet that evening too. No one was really in the mood to do or say anything. I moved Hero into the livingroom, so he could keep Riley company, while I cleaned the kitchen. An old habit I hadn't outgrown. Cleaning. I tossed the piles of blankets at Darry, who took them downstairs to wash. I looked up when Riley walked into the kitchen, his eyes red from crying.

"I want to go down to the rodeo when the colts come down, I want to see them one last time before they become someone elses," he said quietly. I nodded. I was fine with that. "I'll need to borrow the truck that day, that okay?" he didn't look at me when he asked.

"Yeah, of course. Just do me a favor and don't crash it. I need that truck," I said with a soft smile.

"Whatever," he said as he walked out the back door, slamming the door behind him. I shook my head. Riley was taking this too hard.

I finished the kitchen, then went into the livingroom to check on Hero. He wagged his tail when I came in and changed the bandage on his leg.

"Hey buddy," I laughed as he tried to climb into my lap, letting out a low yip when he banged his leg. "Take it easy," I murmured as I rubbed his head. He licked my hand happily.

"We're home!" Soda's hyper voice rang as he stomped through the front door.

"Shoes off!" I yelped as Darry and Steve were about to walk across the freshly cleaned kitchen floor with muddy shoes. Darry and Steve exchanged a look before kicking their shoes off.

"Thanks," I laughed as I put their shoes by the door. Minnie came in tracking tiny pawprints across the floor. I scooped her up and started drying her paws with a piece of cloth. "You, missy, need to stop tracking in mud," I cooed as I scratched behind her ear. She wiggled in my arms, and once I sat her down, she ran into the livingroom and curled up on the blanket, right up against Hero. It was a bitter sweet moment. She used to do the same thing with Killer.

With wide eyes, Soda walked into the kitchen, smelling the air.

"What are you cooking?" He asked, almost drooling.

"Homemade chicken potpie and baked potatoes," I said with a smile. "My mom's family recipe,"

"Bitch," Riley growled as he came in through the back door with enough time to hear the end of our conversation. "How dare you try to be anything like mom!" I looked at him with wide eyes, and had to restrain myself from knocking him flat on his back.

"Riley Micheal, outside, now!" I said as calmly as I could. He spun on his heel and stomped back outside. I followed him and shut the door quietly.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" I growled.

"I'm sick and tired of you trying to be mom! You're not her! Stop trying to be!" he yelled, but I saw the tears welling in his eyes. I took a step towards him, just as he threw himself into my arms, sobbing bitterly. I held him, rubbing his back, as I had so many times before.

"Easy, easy, hey, it's okay," I whispered as his hot tears soaked the front of my shirt.

We stood there in each others embrace, as a light snow began to fall. I pulled him inside once my arms went numb, and led him into Darry's room, where I sat him down on my side of the bed.

"What's going on Riles? What's going through that head of yours?" I asked softly as I pulled on a thick sweater.

He looked at the wood floor, his eyes locking on something I couldn't see. I sat down next to him, willing to wait however long it took for him to come around and tell me what he was thinking.

"I just miss how things were when we were little, ya know? Like the smell of mom's homemade chicken potpie, or her famous breakfasts early on a Saturday morning, or the way she'd know just what to say and how to say it. Or how dad used to be, before mom died," he said softly. I stared at him, unsure exactly what I should say.

"Plus, as hard as you try, you can't make up for mom dying. You might look a lot like mom, and might even sound like her sometimes, but you can't replace her. You can't be mom," he added, his voice cracking. "And losing Grace, shoot, that just done near killed me. She was everything I ever loved and more," tears rolled down his cheeks. I pulled him into my arms, and let a few of my own tears fall. Suddenly, a silly poem our mother had sung to us when we were really little came to mind. She used to sing it softly, no matter how upset, angry, or hurt we were.

"Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,  
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;  
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,  
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."  
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,  
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;  
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.  
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,  
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"  
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,  
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"

Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, " Dear friend what can I do,  
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?  
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;  
I'm sure you're very welcome - will you please to take a slice?"  
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,  
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"

"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,  
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!  
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,  
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."  
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,  
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."

The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,  
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:  
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,  
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.  
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,  
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;  
Your robes are green and purple - there's a crest upon your head;  
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,  
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;  
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,  
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue -  
Thinking only of her crested head - poor foolish thing! At last,  
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.  
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,  
Within his little parlour - but she ne'er came out again!

And now dear little children, who may this story read,  
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:  
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,  
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly." Riley looked up at me with child like eyes. A smile crossed his lips as he hugged me tightly.

"What do you think that song means? Mom used to sing it all the time," Riley asked. He was really young when our mom died, too young for her to explain the meaning behind the old poem. I had taken to singing the poem after she died, because it was the only thing that ever put Little Jenny to sleep at night.

"It's called _The Spider and The Fly, _it's a poem by Mary Howitt. I think it means that you have to be careful, and not let false promises and flattery con you into a friendship that will end disastrously," I explained. He asked me to explain it in simpler terms, and I did my best. "Basically, it means be careful of your friends, and don't let pretty words and nice things cloud your judgment."

"But why did mom used to sing it to us?" he asked, eyes wide as the meaning sunk in.

"Because it had a nice tune to it, I reckon," I said with a smile. "Mom always liked things with nice tunes. She loved to sing," I told him. He asked me to tell him more about our mother, and I spent the next few hours telling him all I could remember, from her stunning smile, to the way she always smelled of vanilla and love, to the quiet way she'd discipline us when we were bad. He absorbed every word I said, and seemed to be in better spirits as we walked into the kitchen for dinner.

"C'mon guys, food," I called. Soda and Darry, trailed by Steve, all came into the kitchen and sat down. I smiled at the mosh posh family. I couldn't have felt more at home. I asked Darry to set the table, while I took the pie and potatoes out of the oven.

"Ouch!" I yelped, nearly dropping the steaming hot dish on the floor when the pan burned my hand.

"Ice it!" Soda said as he got up and took the dish from me.

I ran my hand under cold water until the stinging went away.

That night, it truly felt like I was home, exactly where I belonged. Dinner was peaceful, friendly chitchat filling the air, while Soda and I sneaked pieces of chicken down to the dogs. Minnie and Hero were both pleased with their portions apparently, because as soon as we placed the dishes into the sink, they were curled up fast asleep under the table.

Darry and I made more blissful memories that night. I couldn't have asked for a better end to such a horrible day. Maybe our luck had finally changed for the better.

* * *

_A/n;; The Spider and The Fly is a poem written by Mary Howitt, first printed in 1829. I remember listening to the poem when I was younger, but only recently looked further into it, after it was used on "Dead Souls" which was a chiller premiere. I take no credit whatsoever for the poem. I just thought it'd be a nice little addition to the story. _

_As always, feedback is greatly appreciated. :)  
_


	7. Chapter 6

"_Shoot, why'd you leave for three years? Don't you know that if you stayed, Dally would still be alive and Johnny wouldn't have ran away?" Ponyboy said, sitting on top of his headstone, looking at me with angry eyes. "You promised you'd never leave, and you left them, Kaylly, you left them."_

"_It wasn't like that, Ponyboy, I left because my brothers needed me. Just like Darry or Soda woulda done for you," I argued._

"_And what about Dally? He needed you. Johnny too. Where were you for them?" he asked, his voice rough, accusing. _

"_I...I couldn't be two places at once, Ponyboy! I couldn't!" I cried._

"_Well, maybe you're too late for Dally, but you still have time. You can save Johnny. And you'd better."_

_Flashes. Bright, blinding lights. Memories moving too fast to see. My mom taking her last breath, the look on Darry's face the day Pony died. Killer's last breath. Riley's face when I came home 3 years ago. Then everything went black. I could hear sobs, but saw nothing. Then a bright light, and blood surrounded the nothingness. Blood, dark, rusty colored blood, flowing over my feet, covering my ankles, my knees. Blood. _

"Hey, hey, wake up, it's okay," rough hands shook me awake. I gasped when I opened my eyes, feeling completely stunned, like I hit my head on something hard. Then I became all too aware that I was laying on my back...on the floor.

"Ouch, what the heck...?" I was looking up at Darry's bright blue eyes. He had a look of concern on his face. "What happened?"

"You were tossing and turning, and started screaming your head off. Then you rolled off the bed. Are you okay?" He asked as he helped me up. I curled up next to him, letting my head rest on his chest. I was recalling the dream, my heart racing in my chest.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I murmured, trying to find the point behind that dream. "Hey Darry?" I asked, turning so I was facing him. I caught sight of the clock and saw it was just barely 4 in the morning, but I needed to talk to him.

"Yeah?" he asked, sitting up.

"Do you think anything would have been different, with Dally and Johnny, if I hadn't left Tulsa three years ago?" I asked, tears in my eyes.

"I don't know. Ya know, we talked about that, Soda and me. He's convinced there was no stopping Dally, that he would have gone and got himself killed whether you were here or not, but I honestly think he would have thought twice about it if you were still here. You were always the one who got hurt, or got into trouble, and he liked being the one to rescue you. You were the one thing that kept him in line. Well you and Johnnycakes," Darry said carefully. That made my heart break. I got out of bed and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed a bottle of Pepsi out of the fridge and went outside, Hero following close behind, ever loyal. I sat down and pulled my knees to my chest, pulling them into Darry's oversized t-shirt that I had taken to wear to bed. It was a frigid night, but nothing I couldn't handle. I lit a cigarette and looked up at the stars. I sensed someone sit down next to me, and moved closer once I realized it was Darry.

"I'm sorry, I made you sad," he said lightly, his voice making my heart melt.

"It's okay," I said honestly, turning so I was facing him. "What about Johnny?" I asked.

"I don't think anyone but Dally could've stopped Johnny from running away. I think Dally dying was what sent him over the edge," Darry said softly. "I think that, and losing Ponyboy, and his folks, it just was too hard for him."

"I want to find him, wherever he is," I said suddenly. "He's a good kid, Darry. Where haven't you looked?" I knew that had searched most of Tulsa for him, but needed exact locations.

"Everywhere except Windrixville. No one thought he'd go there. Wherever he is, he sure is good at hiding," Darry said with a shake of his head.

"I think he'd go there," I said honestly. "That was the one place Dally knew no one would look for him, way back when," I said with a sigh.

"You're not honestly thinkin' about going out there, are you?" Darry asked, his eyes widening. I tossed the cigarette butt and sighed.

"I have to. I owe it to Johnny...to Dally," I said, my voice cracking. "I won't be gone maybe 24 hours or so," I said truthfully "And I'll take Hero with me, and the heater," I added. I had locked my small pistol in a safe box in his closet three years earlier. He nodded when I said that. Thankfully, he got it.

"Are you going to take Riley or Soda with you?" Darry asked, almost as if to hint that he didn't want me to go alone.

"No...I need them here. I need Soda to get into Riley's head for me, and I need Riley to be here if the colts get here early. Anyway, this is something I need to do alone," I said honestly. My heart felt as if I had just ripped it out and stomped on it, but I couldn't figure out why.

"When are you going to leave?" Darry asked. I saw a hurt expression cross his face. I'm sure he was thinking that he just got me back, and now I was running off again. I felt like the world's worst girlfriend.

"I'd like to go today, so I can be back when the colts get here, but I can wait another day or two if you want me to?" I said. I looked into his blue eyes and couldn't help but wonder what was going on in that head of his.

"I'd rather have you not leave at all," he said softly. "But go today, so you can be back sooner," he said with a soft sigh.

"I'll be back as soon as I make sure he's not there. I promise," I said softly. I looked at the sky as the sun began to rise.

"Leave early then," Darry said with a smile. "So you can come back as soon as possible," he added with a wink. I got butterflies when he said that. I kissed him softly and walked inside, throwing a few things into my bag before quietly clipping the leash to Hero's collar. He wagged his tail, as if he knew we were going on a road trip. I pulled him outside and was met by Darry at the truck.

"Be careful," he said softly, as he pulled me into his arms. I smiled into his warm chest and nodded, before standing on my tiptoes to give him one last kiss.

"I'll call you as soon as I find a pay phone," I promised. He held the door open while I lifted Hero into the truck. The big dog let out a pained yip when I accidentally bumped his leg.

"Don't be a hero this time," Darry warned, his eyes darkening. I had a feeling he was going to worry himself sick the entire time I was gone.

"I won't, if you take it easy at work," I said with a smile. He nodded and closed the door, patting the front of the truck before I drove off.

I stopped at a gas station a few miles away from Windrixville and bought a coffee and a turkey sandwich for Hero. He ate it eagerly, his tail bumping me as he looked for more.

By the time I pulled up to where the church once stood on Jay Mountain, the sun was high in the sky. I checked the time and saw it was only 8 in the morning. I was tired, but didn't really mind too much, as I got out of the truck and walked Hero up to where the blackened ruble remained. I shifted through some of it, looking for some sign that Johnny had been there. I found nothing, but did find a half burned page from _Gone With The Wind. _It was wet and barely readable, but it brought a sad smile to my face anyway. It went to show, that even after all the years that had passed, there were still memories left behind.

I walked around to what would have been the back of the church and sighed. Hero whined, his ears flat against his black skull. I looked around, but saw nothing. I decided to go into town and look there. Maybe Johnny had found a job working on a neighboring farm or in one of the local stores.

When we reached town, I parked the truck in an empty lot and locked the doors before making my way through the friendly town. I was greeted by farmers every now and then, and stopped at what looked like a store. I knew from experience, that going in with Hero would prove to be difficult, but I never once left any of my dogs tied outside, no matter where I was.

"Howdy sir," I said as kindly as I could to the clerk. He smiled and waved me over.

"That's a mighty fine dog you have there, Miss," he said with a huge smile. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for a friend of mine. He told me he might be coming up this way today, and I wondered if you've seen him?" I lied as I took a photo of Johnny out of my pocket. I handed him the picture and watched as he looked it over.

"That there be Johnny Cade, I reckon. He just left a few minutes ago. He's working for old man Thomas up on the Grady Ranch a few miles south of here," he said with a smile. Clearly Johnny hadn't had the sense to change his name.

"Yes, sir, that's right," I said with a fake smile. "Reckon he headed that way?" I asked eagerly.

"I can't be quite sure, Miss, I'm rather sorry. He came down on horseback and said he needed a few things, but didn't say where he was heading," the man said honestly. "I can take a message for him if you'd like?"

"I'd like that very much sir, if you see him, can you tell him Kaylly's a lookin' for 'im?" I said, letting my country accent come through. For once, I was grateful I had spent the last three years on a farm.

"I'd be glad to, Missy. Where are you off to this fine morning?" he asked as he tossed a piece of jerky down to Hero, who ate it happily.

"I'm off to see to my father, sir, his ol' broodmare just birthed her last filly," I lied, throwing the first thing that came to mind out there. "He needs me to tend to it while he's off in the city."

"Well I wish you the best, Miss. And I'll tell Johnny Cade you was lookin' for him if he comes back around." he said with a tip of his hat. I smiled graciously, and walked slowly out of the store. As soon as I saw him tend to another costumer I broke into a fast run towards the nearest pay phone. I dialed the DX, because I knew both boys were at work. It surprised me to hear Steve's voice on the other end of the line.

"'ello?" he asked.

"Steve, put Soda on, I need the number for Darry's latest roofing job," I said quickly, my heart racing. I tried to keep my tone calm, but I think I panicked, because I could hear Steve yelling for Soda on the other line.

"Kay, what's up?" Soda asked moments later, his voice sharp, alert.

"I need Darry's number, for whichever house he's at right now," I said quickly. He told me the number, then asked me what was wrong. I guess Darry filled everyone in on where I went.

"Nothing's wrong, I just need to talk to him," I said quickly. I hung up and dialed the number. A man answered the phone, and I apologized for calling Darry while he was on the job, but explained that it was urgent.

"What's wrong? Are you okay? Kaylly?" Darry's voice came a few minutes later. I could almost hear his heart beating through the phone.

"I'm fine calm down, listen, I found out where Johnny is, he's up at Grady Ranch. I think I know where that is, but I'm not entirely sure. I'm gonna bring him home, Darry, I am," I said quickly. "I love you so much, I'll be home as soon as I can." I hung up before he had a chance to say anything. I knew Darry would worry and would probably drive himself crazy, but I had to bring Johnny home. We needed him.

I drove out to the ranch, and watched as the stable hands worked the horses. I spotted Johnny, but wasn't sure how to approach him. Instead, I just let Hero out of the truck, without thinking. He barked happily and ran down the trail, his tail wagging, a slight limp to his gait. He barked at Johnny, almost as if he sensed that that was who I was looking for. Johnny froze. I knew he knew the leather collar that hung around the dog's neck. He was the one who helped me make it so many years ago for Killer. His eyes scanned his surroundings, and widened when he saw me walking towards him.

I couldn't believe it. Three freaking years and finally, Johnny was found.


	8. Chapter 7

"So you finally came back," Johnny said later as he handed me a cup of coffee. He looked older, less fearful, and his hair wasn't as greasy. It was a very dramatic change, and honestly, I didn't like it.

"Yeah," I said with a soft sigh. Hero was half curled up on my lap, as we sat under a huge oak tree, the sun shining down on us. "I hated myself for leaving in the first place," I told him.

"I know what you mean," he said shaking his head. "Don't get me wrong, I love it here in the country, but it ain't home, ya dig?"

I nodded and rubbed behind Hero's ear. He was watching the farm cats run around, almost as if he missed the farm. I smiled softly, then looked at Johnny.

"Wanna come home with me?" I asked with a hopeful smile. I was no good at beating around the bush.

"I do, actually," Johnny said with a nod. "I miss the gang," he added as he rubbed Hero's nose. "How'd you know where to find me?"

"I asked the clerk at the store in town. I lived on a ranch in New York, Johnny, I had a feelin' if anyone would be able to point me in the right direction, it'd be a store clerk," I laughed. He smiled and nodded at that, before I noticed a frown cross his face.

"I can't exactly just up and leave," Johnny said slowly. "I had to work hard to get a job here, why Mr. Thomas Grady was kind enough to put me up when I told him everything...I don't think he'd like it much if I just left," he said shaking his head.

"Let me have a word with him," I said as I stood. "I have a plan."

I had to dig around in the back of the truck to find what I was looking for, but when I did, I was excited. Aside from eye liner and a bit of nail polish, I was never one of those girls who wore makeup. I hated the stuff. But from time to time, I've felt the need to use it, so I've kept some in the truck ever since moving to New York.

I made Johnny hold the mirror while I plastered on the cover up, not just to my face, but my hands too. I was wearing a long sleeve shirt, so nothing else was showing. I patted a bit of dirt to my face and looked in the mirror before comparing my complexion to Johnny's. My hair was still a dark brown color, from the time I dyed it a few months ago, so I _almost_ looked like I could be Johnny's sister.

"You're eyes are blue," Johnny reminded me.

"So? Me and Riley are the only two in our family with blue eyes. I'll say we have different mama's," I said as I walked up the drive, Hero at my side. Johnny led me inside, and we were greeted by a very friendly old man.

"Mr. Thomas, sir, this is my sister," Johnny said softly, a well seasoned liar.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thomas, sir. I'm Jenna Cade, Johnny's younger sister," I lied. I was an inch shorter than Johnny and decided to play it up. Johnny had grown since I last saw him, but he was still short for his age.

"What can I do for you this fine evening Miss Cade?" the man asked.

"Why, I was mighty worried about my brother here all this time, and we really want him home. You see, I was off at a friends the weekend he ran off, and I've been worried sick about him since," I lied skillfully. My throat felt tight, lying like that, but I was more than well adjusted to the 'country hick' charade.

"I see, well Johnny Cade, don't let your sister here worry about you no more, young man. Go on back to the city. Your sister here looks like she come a long way to bring you home," he said with a friendly smile. I smiled brightly and nodded.

"Oh, thank you sir!" I said brightly.

"Why are we stopping here?" Johnny asked as I pulled up to where the church once stood. His face was pale, eyes wide.

"Because if I don't wash this crud off my face soon, I'm going to be itching all night," I laughed. I knew it hurt him to be there, but I wasn't in the mood for a not only cramped, long ride home, but a long, cramped, itchy drive. I let the cold water soothe the itch as I wiped the make up and dirt from my face, revealing my slightly tanned skin. I was always pale, lighter than the rest of the gang, but years on the ranch had given my skin a pale glow.

I got back into the truck and pushed Hero over. He wasn't steady enough with his leg to ride in the back like I had planned, so he was half on my lap, half on Johnny's, making the ride uncomfortable for everyone. I drove until it was late into the night, and exhaustion had set in. I pulled over on the side of the road and carried my giant dog to the bed of the truck. Tying him to the spare tire, I told Johnny to come sleep up in the truck's bed with me. Even though we were still in the country and far from any soc or rapist or murderer, I wasn't about to sleep in the open alone.

We laid down on the thick horse blankets, and fell asleep in minutes, both tired and sore. Though for completely different reasons. I was fully aware of the bruise across my back, from when I fell out of bed earlier that morning.

We slept late into the morning, waking only when Hero let out a sharp bark, telling us he needed to use the bathroom. I shook Johnny, who jerked away, momentarily forgetting where he was. I smiled and nodded at Hero, who has a silly look on his furry face. Johnny helped me carry Hero out of the truck then stretched.

"Ya know, it almost feels like the ol' days, riding in that truck with you," Johnny laughed. I smiled at that, then became aware of the fact that I had to pee. Bad. I looked around and grimaced. I was normally up for anything, but squatting behind a bush was not my idea of a fun time.

"Hold onto Hero for a minute," I told Johnny as I ran over to a cluster of bushes. I almost died of embarrassment. If it had been anyone but Johnny, I just might have.

We made it home around 4 that afternoon. 10 hours later than I had planned. As I expected, Darry was sitting on the front steps, a look of pure terror on his face until he saw my truck round the corner. I pulled the car into the driveway and got out as Johnny helped Hero, who was favoring his injured leg heavily. I made a mental note to check it out later.

Darry had me in a tight bear hug before I even had a chance to take a step. I had to wiggle and finally dig my nails into his arms before he let me go. I took a much needed breath and smiled at him.

"I brought a gift home," I laughed. He turned around and his eyes grew wide. Johnny busted out laughing when he saw the expression on Darry's face. "I told you'd I hunt this one down, didn't I?"

"I...I didn't think you'd actually bring him home," Darry said. Then, for the first time in as long as I could remember, Darry gave Johnny a huge hug. It was cute and funny at the exact same time. I laughed and walked Hero into the house, where he immediately jumped on the couch, the one thing Darry did not allow the dogs to do.

"Hero, Darry's gonna have a cow, c'mon, go curl up on Soda's bed," I laughed.

"Kay!" a voice chimed as soon as I spoke. I looked towards the bedrooms and saw a very, very hyper Soda running towards me.

"Ouch!" I yelped when he slammed me to the floor, having caught his foot on the end table right before he went to hug me. He started laughing as he helped me up.

"Next time tell me you're leaving!" he whined. I laughed and gave him a whole hearted hug.

"I missed ya kid," I laughed. You'd think I was gone for a year instead of only just over a day.

"Oh, look what the dog drug in," Riley laughed as he came running down the steps. He ended up tripping on the last step, and comically rolled to a stop at my feet. That was the brother I knew and loved. He looked up at me and smiled hugely. "How's the weather up there?" he asked with a cocky tone.

"Better than the weather down there, I'd reckon," I laughed as I emptied my water bottle on his face. He yelped and got to his feet, shaking his shaggy hair, soaking me with cold drops of water.

"You're never gonna guess what I found today," Riley laughed, then caught sight of Johnny. Riley always liked Johnny when they were kids. Them and Pony were pretty tight knit, until everything changed one summer, when Johnny and Pony got more involved with the gang, and Riley took to hanging out with the house cats.

"Johnny freaking Cade!" Riley hollered, his eyes wide, his grin even wider. He ran into Johnny and picked him up in an awkward looking hug. We all laughed at that. For once, I saw a bright spark of life in my baby brother's eyes, and it made me feel amazing.

"What'd you find?" I asked, giving him a look.

"Come inside, I'll show you. I went back to our old place this morning, to try and find my drawing pad, and found it curled up on mom's chest," he said with a smile. He never smiled when he talked about mom, so whatever he found it must have been something good.

We all followed him inside, and I stopped, eyes wide, when he showed me what he found. Never, in all these years, had I expected to ever see it again.


	9. Chapter 8

"Where did you find her?" I asked Riley for the millionth time since he dropped the small, skinny cat into my arms.

"I told you! Curled up on mom's chest!" he exclaimed for the millionth time. He looked at me in confusion. "What? Who's cat is it?"

"You were too young to remember. God, this cat was about 16 when mom died. She ran out of the house the night after she died, and we didn't see her again. Riley. This was mom's cat. This is Mariah," I stroked the white cat's thin body, her fur dirty with years of neglect. "Riley, this cat should have died years ago. This cat is older than I am," I said shaking my head in disbelief.

"Seriously?" Riley asked, his eyes growing wide. "How do you know it's Mariah?" he asked. I got up, still holding the small cat in my arms, and pulled a scrap book from under Darry's bed. I flipped through the pages, and found the picture of Darry, Soda and I holding Mariah between us on Christmas eve, over 10 years ago. Darry and I were 13, Soda was about 10. The small white cat's deep blue eyes shined brightly from the Christmas lights that were strung on the tree behind us.

"That doesn't prove anything," Riley said truthfully. I flipped through the pages again, and found the picture of Mariah's birthmark, a small half circle under the fur on her neck. I held the cat still as I pushed her grimy fur aside, revealing an identical birthmark.

"Holy shit," Riley gasped.

"It's Mariah," I said with a smile. I held the cat close. She had been my mother's pride and joy, next to us kids. I held the little cat close, at a loss for words.

"If it's Mariah, though, that means she's what, 23?" Riley asked suddenly.

"24. She's older than me," I said with a shake of my head. "What I don't understand, is how she's lived this long, without human companionship," I said, looking the small cat over. You could tell she was elderly. Not only was she skinnier than any cat I'd ever seen before, but her teeth were cracked and chipped, her tail had a crook in it, which I remembered came from Tommy slamming her tail in the door when he was 4. Her fur was rough, her skin dry and cracked. Her bright blue eyes glowed with passion and understanding.

I brought her into the kitchen and sat her on the table, checking her for any signs of injury. She seemed to be perfectly fine, aside from extremely old and malnourished. I rummaged through the cupboards until I found a can of tuna. I opened it and mashed it up on a small plate, then watered it down a little, the way I remembered my mom always did for the small cat. Mariah ate happily, her tail flicking back and forth the entire time.

Hero watched with curious eyes from his spot in the corner. He sniffed the air, his eyes back. I couldn't understand what was going through the dog's mind, but I let it be. He'd been around cats since he was born.

Mariah let out a high pitched meow when she was done eating, before jumping from the table, landing on my shoulders.

"That really is Mariah," Darry said, coming to untangle the cat from my hair. I nodded and stroked her fur once she was safe in Darry's arms.

"I don't understand it. Cat's don't live to be 24. Shoot, she's older than you!" I yelped. It didn't seem right. Had it not been for the fact that I _knew_ that was Mariah, I wouldn't have believed it.

"Oh, Kay, I found this too, when I was looking for my drawing pad," Riley said as he skidded into the kitchen. He handed me a small box. I sat down, and stared at the wrapping paper. I slowly tore it open and looked inside the box. Inside, was a gold locket, a zippo lighter,a 50 dollar bill and a note. I read the note slowly, tears in my eyes.

_You crazy bitch, _

_I don't know if you'll remember, but we were once friends. Until my pa got into money and we moved to the other side of town. Well I found your cat. She was in the cemetery when I went to put flowers on my ma's grave. I hope you still live in this house, 'cause I'll feel mighty bad if you didn't. Anyway, you let me borrow these back when we were kids, remember? The locket your dad engraved, that you gave me after my mom died when you were 10? The zippo you left at my house when we first started smoking? And the 50 bucks you and your brothers pooled together to pay for the repairs on my pa's car when I drove it into the mailbox. _

_Figured it was time to repay the favors. _

_Maybe we'll see each other one day? I've seen you at rumbles, but my brothers won't let me fight in 'em. You're lucky you get to make up your own mind._

_Look me up one day, Krazy Kay, I miss you bunches, even though Socs and Greasers can't be friends._

_Oh, by the way, you helped my youngest brother a few years back. When he got jumped by one of your lot. Thanks for that. My pa would have freaked if he knew. _

_Sincerely,_

_Mary Ann _

I blinked and opened the locket. Inside, held a picture of Mary and I. We were only friends up until I was 12 and she was 16. Age didn't really effect us back then. She was my best friend, the only girl I ever actually liked. But her family went from rags to riches so quickly, that our friendship died the day she looked down her nose at me and told me I was a no good hood. I don't know what changed her mind, or how she found my mother's cat, but it didn't matter.

And now I knew who that kid Dally and I helped was, and in that moment, it made a huge difference.

"Mary Ann Sawyer? The girl you used to drag around with us when we were kids?" Darry asked, eyes wide. He knew how rough it was when our friendship broke.

"Yeah," I nodded, holding the locket close. Mary had been like a sister to me, through a lot of the problems I faced as a little kid. Mariah leaped from Darry's arms and landed on my lap. She purred happily and curled up, her thin fur pressed against my stomach.

"Mom," I whispered, rubbing the cat's head. I looked at the clock and sighed, it was late into the evening already, but it was something I needed to do.

"Riley, you want to drive down and see mom with me?" I asked. His eyes grew sad and he shook his head.

"Take Mariah with you though," he said, nodding at the cat. "I think there's a reason that little thing made herself known."

"I agree," I nodded. I looked at Darry, my eyes almost begging him to come with me.

"I'll get my keys," he said with a nod.

We drove to the cemetery in silence. I was holding Mariah tightly, her thin body poking my stomach. She was purring loudly, her eyes bright. The second I opened the door, she flew off my lap and ran, full speed, into the darkness.

We walked to my mother's grave and sat down, my head leaning on Darry's chest. For the millionth time since my mother passed away, she and I shared a wordless conversation, my heart feeling lighter as the stars crossed the sky.

"You sent Mariah, to give me hope," I whispered. The wind blew heavily then, and I knew that was true. My mother had sent our family cat home, so I would know. So I would know I'd done the right thing by coming home. I never really believed in signs or the after life or anything like that, until that night. Because there was no way a 24 year old cat would survive nearly 8 years without human companions. I knew that better than anyone. Mariah was my little guardian angel, even if only for a moment.

Darry and I sat there in silence for hours, until the cold air became too much for either of us to bear. We sat, watching the stars, listening to the wind, feeling the presence. Whether it was meant to be, or just some sick coincidence, I didn't care in the least. Because I was there, with the love of my life, and the acceptance I'd been longing for since the day my mother died, almost a decade prior.


	10. Chapter 9

We never did manage to find Mariah again that night. I couldn't wrap my head around it, but somehow, I had a feeling that that cat came back into our lives for the soul purpose of bringing the clarity I had prayed for. Whatever the reason, I didn't let it get to me. Thankfully, Riley wasn't a cat person, so losing the cat didn't really bother him. He was more concerned about getting Minnie and Hero a new friend, since both dogs had been a little quiet since losing Killer, Temptation and Gracey. I think he wanted a dog for himself really. Hero was my dog, even when I'd rather he wasn't. He was always running between my legs or tripping me up while I cooked. And Minnie was Soda's. She loved him more than I think any dog ever loved before. She's run around with him when he had too much energy, she'd sit and listen when he was sad. It reminded me all the more, of why I always kept animals in my life, whether a dog, a cat, or horse or a turtle. Animals got us. Animals didn't care that we were greasers. They didn't care that we didn't have a lot of money or good clothes or nice cars. All they cared about was that we showed them a little love.

"What'd you got planned?" Soda asked the following Saturday morning while I was making a special breakfast for the dogs. I'd noticed earlier that week that both dogs were looking a little thin, and decided it was time to change their diets.

"I'm thinking about going down to the pound, see if they've got any death row dogs up," I said truthfully. That was the only way I adopted a shelter dog, if they were on death row. Some of our best dogs came from there. I was more of a 'rescue a stray' type of person, but dogs didn't always have a way of finding me. Killer was a god sent, and we just got blessed when Minnie showed up. I didn't want to wait any longer, I knew Riley needed a dog, something to keep him busy when we were all at work.

"We should all go down," Soda said eagerly. I nodded at that, before walking into the bedroom and pulling my wallet out of my bag. I counted my savings three times and shook my head. The colts were expected to come down later that afternoon, after they had to postpone arrival due to a storm that hit Arkansas. I still didn't know why they took the long way to Tulsa, but I decided against questioning it.

So we somehow managed to pile everyone into my truck. It was beyond cramped, because we needed to bring both dogs down too. I wasn't about to bring home a new dog and have it attack tiny Minnie or cause Hero to get even more defensive of his smaller buddy. I let Riley drive, since I hadn't been letting him drive in quite some time. With that said, I made Soda ride up front with him, since Soda was a decent enough driver, and not nearly as panicky as Darry or Steve. Both were a little too antsy when someone with little experience was driving. So Darry, Steve, Johnny and I, plus both dogs, rode in back, while Two-Bit, Soda, and Riley took the front. Hero insisted on laying in my lap the entire time, causing my legs to go numb half way there.

When we reached the pound, I put the leashes on both dogs, and tied the muzzle to Hero's snout. I knew he wasn't dog aggressive, but he wasn't used to being indoors with more than just a few dogs. I spoke with Dee, the woman who knew me from all the times in the past I'd walk the kennels and led the way to the death row dogs.

We walked up and down the lines of kennels until I spotted what looked like a small collie retriever mix. Her eyes were sad and when I read her chart, I was shocked to see she was only a few months old.

"How the hell do they put a puppy on death row?" I asked, shaking my head. The little dog wagged her tail happily, though her eyes showed sadness and rejection. It broke my heart, but I knew I couldn't take home every dog that tugged at my heart strings.

"Hey Kaylly, do pit bulls make good pets?" Riley asked, kneeling next to a brown and white pit bull. He looked maybe a year or two old, with bright eyes and a wagging tail.

"They're excellent dogs," I said with a smile. I read his chart and shook my head. "But we can't take him, he's dog aggressive," I explained. As if to prove it, the second Hero went to sniff the kennel, he growled and lunged towards the front of the gate. I pulled Hero back and told Riley to look at the other dogs. No way was an aggressive dog coming home with us. I had enough to handle with Hero's anger issues.

We spent a few more hours walking the kennels, until a small black and white puppy took Riley's heart. She was a 14 month old shepherd mix, who was rescued from an ally when she was a puppy. She lost her back leg due to an infection, but was adorable and kind hearted. Both Minnie and Hero fell in love with her, and Riley beamed brightly, exclaiming

"That's my dog,"

So it was set. Riley adopted Hope. I smiled at my little brother. I was surprised he didn't want to change her name, but he said it fit her perfectly. He agreed to let her ride in the back with the other dogs, as long as I kept her tightly in my lap. I laughed and did as my brother asked, not willing to break his good mood.

When we got home, I laid another blanket on the kitchen floor, since Hope wasn't going to be allowed on beds until we knew how she reacted at night and to the busy household. Riley wouldn't leave the little dog's side, even when she decided to hobble up to Hero and bark in his face. Hero simply looked at her and yawned, like he'd seen it all before.

I heard the phone ring, and nearly tripped over the dogs as I jumped to get it. I answered and listened as Jack, one of the stable hands, explained to me that they were just now reaching the rodeo, and that I needed to come down and sign the papers. I told him I'd be down in about an hour, and hung up.

"Soda, Steve, I need both of you to ride down to the stables with me," I said quickly as I grabbed my bag. "I'm gonna need help unloading the colts," I added. I knew both boys had experience with horses, and I knew Soda's gentle touch would make it easier to get both of the colts out of the trailer and into their stalls a lot faster and easier.

We made it to the stables in record time, and I was greeted by Jack, Mick and the man who was ready to buy the horses. I looked at the trailer, and noted that it was the 3 horse one, not the one I expected them to bring.

"Okay, Mr. James, please back up. These colts are pretty hyper from the ride down here, and they're gonna want to kick and run. The plan is to let Kaylly up in the truck, and have her and her friends lead them out one by one," Jack said strongly. He pulled me aside before letting me get in the trailer.

"What's up?" I asked, nodding towards the truck.

"Your dad made us bring Rocket down too. Said if you were selling the colts, you'd better sell him too, since the owner of the ranch was running out of funds for your horses," Jack said softly. I nodded slowly.

"How much are we selling Rocket for? He's no good with rodeos..." I said softly.

"Mr. James said he'll buy 'im for 500, said he'd be a great stud," Jack explained. I was shocked. This man was willing to pay 1,100 dollars for three horses. Must have been nice to be wealthy, huh?

"Alright then," I said with a nod. Rocket was my pride and joy, but that kind of money could pay for the whole gang to go to college. Shoot, it could keep Soda and Darry outta work for the next few years easy.

I walked around to the back of the trailer and called Soda forward. He was going to lead Thunder, the calmest of the colts out of the truck first. I climbed in and cursed. The horses had managed to turn around in the truck. Even though Thunder was fairly calm, I knew it was dangerous to come up behind him.

"Easy boy," I said softly as I slide in between the giant animal and the wall of the trailer. He snorted and tossed his head, shifting his weight. I managed to get him turned the right way, and handed the lead to Soda, who spoke calmly, softly to the horse. Thunder relaxed and walked off the trailer with no problem. It was once he was on the ground that he started to buck wildly.

"Back up," I told Soda calmly. He did, still holding onto the horses lead. I slowly jumped off the trailer and took over, pulling softly, calling the horse's name.

When he calmed down, I handed his reins over to Steve and Mr. James who walked him into the stable. Next was Lightening, who was already causing a ruckus in the trailer. He snorted angrily when I tried to ease him out.

"Easy boy," I said softly, stroking his soft nose. He snorted at me and tossed his head. It took nearly 45 minutes to finally coax him off the trailer, but unlike his brother, he was calm once his feet hit the dirt. He let them lead him into the stable with no problem.

"I need everyone to back up, Soda, be ready," I commanded as I unlocked the last section of the trailer. Rocket snorted at me, but nibbled my shirt happily. He remembered me.

"Okay, big guy, time to get out," I said softly. He let me lead him out with no problem, but was ready to bolt the moment his hooves hit the ground. I thought about it for a moment, then, in one graceful movement, I mounted him, as he bucked. He reared up, nearly throwing me from his bareback.

"Back up!" I shouted, and everyone did. Rocket took off, throwing his head, kicking out. Thankfully, I had experience riding the ornery stallion, and didn't lose my grip. He calmed down after a new minutes of circling the small pen, and finally, I was able to dismount. I smiled at my old friend and led him into the huge stall that had been prepared for him.

"Why, Miss Kaylly, you sure do know your horses," Mr. James said with a smile. I quickly signed the paperwork, as he handed me the money. I felt my eyes widen as I slipped it into my bag. Soda's eyes were practically popping out of his head. I don't think he ever saw so much money in his entire life.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Miss. Feel free to come down any time and ride 'em," he said happily. I nodded and thanked him, then pushed Soda and Steve back to the truck.

"Holy smokes! How much did he pay you for them horses?" Steve gasped as I pulled out onto the road.

"1,100," I said with a smile. "Them were some prized horses right there. The owner of the ranch paid three times that for their daddy," I said with a laugh.

"Really?" Soda yelped.

"Yes sir," I laughed. "I don't know how my ol' man did it, but he got himself in with some mighty rich people,"

"And you left that behind? Golly, you coulda been a soc!" Steve teased.

"Soc life ain't for me. This money here's to help you guys keep your heads on straight. Give Darry some breathing room. Maybe I'll make him take a month off work," I laughed. Soda smiled at that. Everyone knew that Darry still, to this day, worked way too hard for a guy his age.

That night, when I told Darry how much the horses sold for, I thought he was going to die of a heartattack. He hugged me tight and whooped happily.

"Now, I want you to take a vacation," I teased, giving him a passionate kiss. He smiled at that and nodded, agreeing that we would have one hell of a month together.

* * *

_A/n;; quick little note here. In case anyone is wondering, 1,100 usd in 1969 was equivalent to 6,992.65 usd in 2012. Which isn't a huge estimate for what someone would pay for 2 star colts and 1 great stallion. Maybe a little high, but not by much. Keep in mind, the man who bought the horses was rich - he didn't have to worry about over paying for three good horses._

_As always, I love to hear from you guys! Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows thus far! 33  
_


	11. Chapter 10

"Riley if I need to tell you one more time, not to let that dog in bed with you," I called as I bunched his blankets up and tossed them on the floor. We'd learned early on with Hope, that if she slept in bed, she wasn't able to jump off to go outside to use the bathroom. It was the fifth time that week that I had to do Riley's bedding, and quite frankly, I was getting tired of it.

"Sorry, Kay," Riley called rushing into the bedroom he now shared with Soda to carry the laundry down into the basement. "I forgot,"

I smiled at that and shook my head. "No you didn't, you just can't stand hearing her cry all night," I teased. He nodded and stuck his tongue out at me. I threw his pillow at him and he laughed, throwing it back at me.

Since selling the horses a month ago, the house had become a happier place. I regularly bought beer so the guys could enjoy laid back Friday nights, and on Saturdays, I'd take Soda, Steve and Riley up to ride the horses. It felt so natural, so normal, so homey at home, that it was rare for any of us to be gone for longer than a few hours. Soda and Darry still worked their asses off, but now they did it with a smile, knowing that they were coming home to easy living. Riley was maturing quickly, but recently took to putting way too much grease in his long, wheat blonde hair.

I called all the dogs into the kitchen and quickly filled the bowls with kibble. Hero's leg had healed nicely, and he and the other two dogs got on great. It was like the small pack was always meant to be. Little Hope was getting around well on her three legs, and kept up with the other two with no problems. She had become a huge asset in our lives, and we loved her to death. She brought smiles to our face on a daily basis.

I smiled and watched as they ate happily. I couldn't wait until Darry got home from work that night. I had huge news to tell him. We had postponed our vacation to the following week, but that last month was filled with many blissful memories that I would carry to the grave with me. To say we were an intimate couple would be an understatement. Two-Bit was always teasing me for being way too willing with Darry, but I could tell that everyone was happy that Darry and I had grown so close. They liked the softer, kinder Darry, rather than the colder, harsher one.

Johnny had moved in with us two weeks prior, and now we were thinking about renovating the house, to add on another bedroom, so everyone wasn't stuck sharing such small quarters. We had plans drawn up, and since Darry was so good with carpentry and anything that involved wood, we figured it'd be a fairly cheap fix. We joked on a daily basis, that if we weren't careful, the whole gang would move in!

"Hey house wife," a voice chimed as the front door slammed shut. I smiled brightly and turned to see Two-Bit walking into the kitchen, carrying the morning news paper. For once, I guess Darry forgot about it.

"Hey Two-Cents," I laughed. He scowled at me, but broke into a huge giddy grin a second later.

"Did you make food?" he asked, his eyes eagerly waiting.

"Not yet. I have a little thing called chores ya know," I laughed as I tossed him a bottle of Pepsi. He laughed at that and flopped down in one of the chairs. I smiled and went onto clean the kitchen floor. Three dogs and four boys made for a lot of dirt being tracked in and out. I didn't mind though. I'd rather be cleaning the house than working at the Shack anyday. With the profits from the horse sale, we had all settled that I wouldn't start working until the following year, since we really didn't need more money than we already had. It was a common debate among me and the guys – we technically could afford to move to the better side of town. But Darry and I agreed that the Soc life just wasn't for us. Darry may not have liked being a 'hoodlum' but it was the life for us. We were too greasy to be Socs anyway.

I made Two-Bit a sandwich, which made him nearly fall over laughing. God, that man could drive me through the roof, but I loved him to death anyway. I smiled as I cleaned up after the dogs, who had made a mess of their lunch. By then, I went to bring Riley his lunch. He was laying on his bed, which we had bought the day after the sale, reading what looked like an old book.

"Hey buddy," I said as I sat his sandwich down on the nightstand.

"Hey," Riley said with a smile. He thanked me and kept on reading. I smiled proudly. Riley has dropped out when he was only 13 years old, because he couldn't stand going to school with bruises all over his face from our father. That was about the time I showed up. He wasn't too good at school either. His grades were always just barely passing, but he was a smart kid, in a sense. I was surprised to see him reading though. I didn't question it, and left the room quietly.

Later in the afternoon, when I was about to prepare dinner, the phone rang. Two-Bit called me into the livingroom and handed me the phone.

"Hello?"

"Kaylly?" the voice on the other end asked.

"This is she?" I said slowly.

"Hi, I'm calling to inform you that your boyfriend, Darrel Curtis is in the hospital right now with a fractured ankle and a few cracked ribs, he asked me to call you and ask you to come pick him up," the woman said in a tired tone. I said I was on my way and hung up. I refused to panic. Darry was the strongest guy I knew, and it sounded like he was okay, so I simply ask Two-Bit to stick around and grabbed me keys and left without alarming anyone.

At the hospital, I quickly walked down into the emergency room and saw a very tired looking Darry smiling at me.

"Hey, superman," I laughed as I went over and gave him a careful hug. "Try flying again?"

"Haha, something like that," he laughed. He flinched when pain shot up his side.

"He fell off the ladder," the nurse said as she handed me his discharge papers. I signed it and smiled.

"Sounds like him," I laughed as I wrapped my arm around his waist. He looked silly trying to balance on crutches, but we managed to get to the truck with smiles on both our faces.

"Looks like you're gonna be taking your vacation early," I teased as I got into the truck.

"I guess so," he smiled. He leaned over and kissed me while I backed out of the parking lot. I smiled and kissed him back before slapping his arm softly.

"Stop, I don't want to crash," I laughed as I drove down the street.

We made it home in once piece, but I noticed that Darry's truck was parked in the driveway. Someone must have called Soda to go get it. I helped Darry out of the truck and noticed that all three dogs were outside. That was weird. Normally Soda and Riley were fighting me about keeping the dogs out. We walked into the house, and before I even had a chance to close the door, everyone was throwing questions our way.

"One at a time," I said loudly. "And for gods sake, let Darry sit down," I added when he leaned heavily on the crutches. They made way and let him sit on the couch, before bombarding me with questions.

"Why didn't you call me?" Soda demanded.

"Shoot! I was home why didn't you tell me? How bad is it?" Riley barked.

"You coulda said somethin'," Two-Bit muttered sourly.

"Seriously? What happened?" Steve growled.

The only person who watched silently was Johnny. He smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back.

"One, Soda, I only ever call you at work if it's an emergency. This was far from an emergency. Two, I didn't tell you Riley, because I didn't need anyone flipping out in my truck. I needed to focus on driving. Three, I needed you to stay here with Riley, Two-Bit. No sense worrying people over nothing. Four, Steve, Superman decided to try and fly again," I laughed. Darry smiled at that. He looked exhausted, but I knew he wanted to assure everyone that he was fine.

"How bad is it?" Riley asked again.

"Not bad. Fractured foot and a few cracked ribs. Basically, early vacation and no rumbles for the next month," I said simply. "Really, guys, he's fine." I sat down next to Darry, who put his arm around my shoulders.

"You are fine, right?" I asked him in a hushed whisper. He nodded once, and smiled. I knew he wasn't lying. I'd seen Darry in pain before. His blue eyes danced with sincerity. I smiled again, and remembered that I had big news to tell him. Well that could wait.

"So what about dinner?" Soda asked, a goofy smile crossing his lips.

"How 'bout me and you drive down to the Shack and pick up a couple pizzas?" I suggested. I missed Soda and I having one on one time, and figured it'd be a good way to get a few minutes alone with him.

"Woo! Sounds like a plan!" Soda exclaimed bouncing up from his seat on the floor. He ran to find his shoes and a shirt, his messy blonde hair flopping around with his movements.

"Boy you need to get a haircut!" I laughed as I grabbed my bag.

"No way!" he yelped, his deep chocolate eyes widening.

"C'mon, just a trim?" I teased.

"No!" he moaned, shaking his head wildly, causing his hair to flop even more. I laughed at how crazy he looked.

Once we were both ready, we raced each other to the truck. Naturally, he won. His legs were longer. We were both laughing as we climbed into the truck, smiles plastered to our faces.

"So how are you okay with Darry falling off the ladder?" Soda asked, still giggling.

"Eh, when you've lived with a gang of guys for as long as I have, you eventually learn not to panic every time some one lands themselves in the emergency room," I laughed. "Anyway, when you walk in and see him beaming, even with a fractured ankle and cracked ribs, you know he's fine."

"Or your maternal instincts just suck," Soda laughed.

"Maybe," I agreed as we peeled off. I smiled the entire way to the Shack. This was the normality I missed so much. The easy living, the laughter, the love. It was something I had missed for years, and it felt beyond amazing to finally have it back. I didn't even care if it would only last for that moment, because in that moment, I felt everything was going to be just fine.

* * *

When we got to the Shack, I ordered four pizzas, since god knew those boys could eat. While we were there, I asked David if he'd be willing to hire me back the following year. Before I have left, we had agreed that should I return to Tulsa, that my job would be waiting for me, but neither of us thought it'd be three years before I returned.

"Your jobs always waiting for you, Kaylly," David said with a smile. "No matter when you decide you need it back." He was such a sweet man. I think the years had made him even sweeter. I later learned he had 3 little girls now, and a fourth on the way.

"So, Soda, how's life?" I asked with a smile as we waited for our food.

"Now that you and Johnny are back? It's great," he said with a huge smile. "We finally have someone else who can cook in the house," he added with a laugh. I laughed at that. It was no secret that Darry was the cook of the family.

"Golly, I sure missed home," I said with a happy sigh, I was content, happy even.

"So when do ya think Darry's gonna propose?" Soda asked with a huge grin.

"Shoot, I don't even know," I said with a shake of my head. "If ever," I added.

"Shoot, he loves you, Kaylly. I think he's just 'fraid you'll say no," Soda said, shaking his head. "He hates rejection."

"I would never say no. I've been dreaming of the day he proposed for as long as I care to admit," I laughed, feeling my cheeks grow red.

"Then talk to 'im about it!" Soda said with all too much enthusiasm.

"No way! That jus' ain't something you bring up outta the blue," I said. _Though we have to talk about it...there's a lot we have to talk about now... _I thought. I wanted to tell Soda, but it'd be wrong to tell him before Darry...

"Are you even listening?" Soda's voice broke through my thoughts.

"Sorry, what?" I asked, shaking my head.

"I said, that is something you bring up. You two have been in love for how many years now?" Soda asked, raising an eyebrow. He knew better than anyone, that I had been in love with Darry since we were kids. It wasn't until we were older that we admitted it though.

"True..." I let it end there. I felt uneasy, almost scared.

"What's wrong?" Soda asked as he reached across the table and took my hand. His eyes locked on mine, and before I could stop myself, I was telling him what I had meant to tell Darry, before he fell on the ladder. I told him everything, then told him how scared I was about it.

"Darry'll understand. It's not like he can just leave. And it's not like he didn't have a part in it," Soda said softly, his voice calm, as if to soothe any fear I had.

"Your pizzas are done," David called, and the conversation ended. I paid for the food, and handed the pizzas to Soda, who carried them to the car, still talking. I wasn't listening though. All I was thinking about was how much I wanted to kick myself for telling Soda before Darry.

"Don't tell no one," I cut Soda off suddenly. He gave me a funny look before nodding. With that, we got into the truck and drove home. My only thoughts were how I was going to tell Darry, without totally freaking him out.


	12. Chapter 11

When we got back to the house, Soda gave me a reassuring look before bringing the pizzas into the kitchen. Everyone except me and Darry were eating in the kitchen. I had brought him his food and told him I needed to talk to him, so we went outside and sat on the back steps, our pizza on plates on our laps. The sky was red from the setting sun, the northern star shining brightly in the half clear sky. I didn't say anything at first, just let the night breeze ease any doubt I was feeling. It was weird. Darry and I had always had an open relationship, verbally anyway. We never really kept anything from one another, and it always made for a very trust filled, easy relationship, much easier than any I had ever been in in the past. Darry never doubted me, and up until now, I never doubted him.

"So are you going to tell me what's going on?" Darry asked as he wiped pizza sauce off his chin. He gave me one of those melt my heart smiles, and I couldn't help but tell him.

"Darry, remember how we talked about starting a family, way back when?" I said softly, my voice cracking as I gauged his reaction.

"Yeah. We were saying how it'd be nice to start a family, what with all the awesome uncles the kid would have," Darry nodded.

"Um...well..." I couldn't get the words out. I looked down at my uneaten piece of pizza and sighed softly. "I'm...well we're...um...pregnant," I said softly. I looked up and saw a huge smile crossing Darry's face. That was definitely not what I expected.

"Shoot, I think that's the best news I've gotten in years!" Darry shouted. He pulled me in for a hug, but I felt him wince as I knocked his rib softly.

"Sorry," I yelped pulling back.

"Shoot, that ain't nothing. C'mon, we gotta tell the gang," he said brightly as he pushed himself up balancing skillfully on crutches. I smiled and followed him into the house, completely taken by surprise.

The entire gang congratulated us and promised to be there every step of the way. Two-Bit cracked jokes how the kid couldn't be any worse than me, since I turned out alright for being a gang raised kid. Riley said he couldn't wait to hold his niece or nephew for the first time, and Soda just gave me a smug look. I punched him playfully in the arm and beamed proudly. Somehow, this had turned out way better than I imagined it could.

What made it even more amazing for me, was the simple fact no one criticized my choice to bear a child out of wedlock. Had my father known, he would have demanded Darry married me right there. That wasn't how I wanted my life to go though. I'd seen the hardships of young marriages. Shoot, my mother was only 16 when she had Timmy, and she had to marry my father as soon as her parents found out – and even worse, my father was 21 at the time. Both were so young and reckless, and it forced them both to settle down long before they wanted to. I felt proud to have had at least 23 years of freedom before getting pregnant, and Darry...well I couldn't have asked for a better man to share the gift with.

"When are you due?" Darry asked with a smile.

"Somewhere between August and September. The doctor couldn't give me an exact date...since we were...uhm," I blushed and he knew exactly what I meant. We were at it almost every night since I'd come back to Tulsa a month and a half ago. So we didn't know for sure when the baby was conceived. This of course, made Two-Bit come up with another half a dozen jokes.

I smiled brightly at my 'family'. They were the only people who could take any sort of news and turn it into something remarkable. It made me all the more grateful that the events that had unfolded over the last century had happened.

Darry and I spent that night curled up on the couch watching some romantic movie on tv. Neither of us really watched it though. We were too busy coming up with baby names.

"What about Mariah?" Darry suggested "If it's a girl? Mariah Jane?"

I thought about that. Mariah had always been a family favorite – my mother named her cat Mariah because that was the name of her mother, who we loved dearly. I wasn't too sure if I'd be willing to name my daughter that though.

"Maybe," I said nodding. I did love that name. "What about for a boy?"

"Hmm, we could go two pays with it, go unique like Soda's or go more normal, like mine," he said thinking about it.

"I like original names, but it doesn't get much more unique than Sodapop. What about Shaynne?" I asked. I loved how it was spelled, and I loved that it would incorporate Darry's name.

"I dunno. I'm not big on names rolling over," he said shaking his head. I remembered him telling me once that it bugged him that Soda and Pony had unique names, whereas he was named after his dad.

"Hmm. I like Skye too though," I said throwing another suggestion out there.

"Sky?" Darry asked, giving me a funny look.

"S-K-Y-E" I spelled it out for him. "Skye," I laughed. "It's special," I added. Skye was supposed to my Jenny's name, but she ended up being a girl, so my mom named her Jennica.

"I like that," Darry nodded. "Skye Michael?"

"I like that," I agreed with a nod. "And instead of Jane, what about Mariah Shaynne?" I asked. I really liked how that flowed. And I didn't mind that our daughter would end up with a male middle name. It'd make her sound tough.

"I actually like that," Darry said excitedly. "So Skye Michael or Mariah Shaynne," he beamed brightly.

My hand fell to my barely visible baby bump as a smile formed on my lips. "Precious little baby," I whispered softly.

Hero whined from his spot under the coffee table, his tail wagging. I smiled and patted the spot next to me on the couch, and he jumped up, happy for the attention. Darry scowled, but said nothing. He knew I wouldn't make the dog move anyway.

"Hey Kay?" Riley called as he walked into the living room.

"Yeah?" I turned to look at him.

"Can you come with me to walk Hope? She keeps running around in circles like she's got way too much energy," he said. I nodded and patted Hero's head.

"Go tell Soda to come on. I'm not to keen of the idea of walking around this late," I said truthfully. _Especially since I can't protect you_, I thought. I wasn't going to do anything that could risk me losing the baby.

"Aw, can't you let them take the dogs themselves?" Darry pleaded.

"Nope. Why don't you come with us? We can walk slow," I smiled. He sighed and nodded. I helped him up and laughed at how silly he looked on crutches. It was actually adorable.

Oh jesus. I'm already getting that cutesy mother mind. Kill me now.

We clipped leashes to the dogs and started walking down the street, Darry close at my side, a smile still plastered to his face. Hero was mighty antsy that night, constantly pulling at the leash. I had to wrap it around my hand several times just to keep him under control.

"Hero, what has gotten into you?" I asked the dog as he half drug me across the lot. I would have tripped if Soda hadn't been keeping an eye on me.

"Let me take him, you take Minnie," he suggested, looking down at the little dog who was behaving herself like a charm on the leash that evening.

"No, it's okay," I said tugging on Hero's leash. He growled and pulled again, this time successfully causing me to fall. Letting go of the leash, I caught myself with my hands, yelping as pain shot through my arm.

Riley was at my side in seconds flat, his arms wrapped around me protectively, repeatedly asking if I was alright.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" I practically screamed at him as I got to my feet and chased Hero. I knew from my mom, that as long as I didn't over do it, I'd be fine running around in the early stages of a pregnancy. She had to with all us kids, especially since we were born so close together. I managed to find Hero in a few minutes time, but catching him proved difficult. He kept running, even after I called him several times. He stopped a few blocks over, but I had to wait for the guys. If Hero was in an aggressive mood, I couldn't attempt to catch him.

When Darry, Soda and Riley caught up with me, I slowly approached Hero, who was curled up around something protectively. I slowly approached him, but was forced to back up when he stood, his teeth bared, eyes wild. I watched him, trying to see what it was he was protecting. It didn't look like he had anything, aside from what looked like an old bottle. Hero lunged at me, but Riley moved quickly and jumped in front of me, before tackling the large dog to the ground. He took hold of Hero's leash and tied it tightly around his snout, making a makeshift muzzle. He stood up and took hold of Hero's collar, a small scratch on his cheek.

"Hold him still," I said softly as I walked over to where he had been laying. I moved the bottle and jumped back, my eyes wide. Laying in the dirt was a small, pure white kitten with bright blue eyes. It looked up at me and let out a happy meow. I picked it up slowly and examined it. The little girl wiggled in my hands before settling up on my shoulders. Hero growled and tried to pull away from Riley, until he saw I wasn't hurting the kitten, he relaxed then, his tail tucking between his legs.

"Hero, I swear, you are one crazy dog," I laughed as I untangled the kitten from my hair. I unzipped my coat and tucked the kitten into the warm material. She purred contently.

"Darry, we have a new baby," I laughed as I walked over to him. He looked at the cat and laughed.

"What's new? I think we're turning into a zoo," he laughed.

"Hey! That rhymed!" Soda exclaimed. We all laughed at that.

Hero was easier to handle now, but I still had Riley walk him. I took over Minnie, since she was the calmest that night and Soda took over the still hyper Hope. We walked the long way home to tire the dogs out.

When we got home, I told the boys to put the dogs in the back yard, so no one would try to eat the kitten while I examined her. Once they were out, I sat the kitten on the kitchen table and looked at her closely. She looked about 7 weeks old and was extremely thin. I could tell by her attitude that she was used to people, but was probably a stray kitten. We had a lot of them in the neighborhood, and back on the ranch Hero was raised around barn cats and kittens, so I couldn't figure out why this one made him so protective, but I took it as a sign. The little cat had major fleas, so I had to take off my shirt and jacket and had Soda put them in the wash before I gave the kitten a warm bath. She didn't seem to mind the water too much, but got frisky as soon as I started to rub soap on her fur.

After she was bathed and flea free, I wrapped her up in a warm towel to dry.

"Can you handle another animal?" Darry asked me softly after the boys were out of ear shot. He came over and laid a hand on my shoulder, his eyes showing concern.

"I can handle it. The kitten will be a great addition," I said with a smile. In truth, I wasn't sure if I could handle a kitten on top of two young dogs and Minnie, all while being pregnant and eventually going back to work, but I wasn't about to put the helpless cat back on the streets.

"Well, in that case, what's her name gonna be?" he asked as he stroked the kittens fur.

"Darcy," I said simply. The kitten looked at me and let out a purr like meow. I smiled at her and then went on to fill up Hero's old water dish and tossed some tuna in his old food dish. He had since outgrown both, but I had kept them just in case. They were the perfect size for the young cat.

"Why Darcy?" Darry asked as he followed me into the livingroom.

"Because. I like Darcy," I said simply. I was really tired, and just wanted to get to bed. I shut the tv off and slowly made my way to the bedroom, where I nearly shut the door on Darry's face.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he sat on the bed next to me.

"I'm just tired," I said truthfully. I gave him a kiss and laid down, sleep overtaking me almost immediately.

That night, I dreamed peaceful dreams. I felt happy with how life was turning out. But man, was I tired.


	13. Chapter 12

The weeks passed quickly, and I couldn't believe it was already the new year. 1970. Wow, seems like just yesterday we had been welcoming in 1966. I was shocked that winter had passed so quickly, and I was even more surprised with how quickly I was growing...or the baby was growing I guess.

I was an estimated 15 weeks pregnant. The doctor wasn't 100% sure, but that was his best guess, which would make me due in August. It was already February, but it felt like I had a lifetime left before I would have the baby. Darry and I had spent a lot of time debating what we should do, since the house was definitely not big enough for everyone on top of a baby. We spent long hours drawing up plans and then tearing them up because we couldn't find time to actually make the changes.

When I hit the 20 week mark in March, I told Darry we had two options. Buy a bigger house or renovate this one. Personally, I wouldn't mind our child growing up in the Curtis home. The neighborhood might have been a little rough, but it'd been their home their entire life, and my home for more than half of my life. Darry finally agreed to take another month off work so we could renovate. Steve, Two-Bit and Johnny all said they'd help too, while Soda and I spent long hours looking at baby things.

"Hey, why haven't you bought yourself any new clothes?" Soda asked late one afternoon while we were walking through the clothing racks. I was wearing one of his sweaters and a pair of his jeans, because my own were too small now.

"Because I want to save the money for the baby, and I don't make that much at the Shack since I only work weekends now," I said. David was afraid to over work me, and would only let me work a maximum of 16 hours a week, instead of my usual 40 – 50 hours.

"Still, you're gonna need clothes that fit," Soda argued as he held up a pair of sweatpants. "What about these?"

"Oh, yeah, 'cause I want to dress like a bum," I grumbled shaking my head.

"Stop being so angry," Soda said with a mocking tone. The last few weeks I was extremely irritable. It didn't help that every morning I was running to the bathroom to puke. I honestly couldn't wait until the pregnancy was over. I had already told Darry that there was no way in hell I was having anymore kids after this one. He didn't mind. He saw the toll it was taking on me.

"I'm not angry," I huffed as I left the store empty handed.

We walked around a bit more and picked up food for Darcy and the dogs, and Soda managed to convince me to buy a new jacket, since mine wouldn't zipper anymore.

We came home to find one wall knocked down. I looked around, somewhat surprised.

"We're building the nursery!" Two-Bit chimed when I looked around Darry's bedroom, teeth chattering from the cool breeze that was blowing through the opening. "Darry said if we work quick, we can get the walls up by next week,"

"Awesome. Honey, did you consider that maybe we'd need to sleep?" I asked Darry when he came over to give me a kiss.

"Yeah, that's why the beds are in Soda's room," he said with a nod. I sighed.

"Darry, that room is barely big enough for the two beds that are already in it. How did you manage to fit a third?" I asked tiredly.

"He moved the dressers and desk into the living room," Steve said, pointing.

"Oh," I said. I sat down at the kitchen table and rubbed my hands over Darcy's head. She purred happily. She had grown into a very sweet cat. She climbed into my lap and purred as she gently leaned against my belly. I smiled and rubbed her ears lightly.

"You always cheer me up, little one," I said in a hushed tone. Hero looked up from his spot by the door, ears perked. "Oh, you too, Hero," I laughed. He came over and sat by my feet.

"Are you mad?" Darry asked sitting down across from me. Darcy jumped on the table and skidded over to him, meowing happily. The cat had taken to Darry long before she completely warmed up to any of us.

"No," I said honestly. I wasn't mad. I was surprised, yes, but far from mad. "I just wish you would have told me ahead of time," I said with a shake of my head.

"You have been all over me about it for the last month," Darry reminded me.

"I didn't expect you to go and knock down the walls!" I laughed. "I thought you'd start by, I don't know, baby proofing or something."

"I don't even know how to baby proof," Darry laughed. It felt good to laugh. Lately, I'd been so sour with everyone, that I rarely even cracked a smile.

* * *

3 months later

I cannot believe how quickly time flew by after those first few weeks of renovation. Darry not only build the nursery off our bedroom, but also added two more bedrooms to the house, making the small 2 bedroom, single story home into a 5 bedroom, 2 story home. I don't know how he managed to do so much in so little time, but he did. Renovation didn't cost nearly as much as we first expected either. A lot of people he worked with came by to lend a hand, supply the wood, and even helped clean up afterwards. It was unbelievable and so generous. I was constantly thanking the men who came to our house, and felt as if I couldn't thank them enough.

It was a hot summer, even for Oklahoma, and I wasn't too comfortable, now only 8 weeks shy of delivering our baby. Darry was scheduled to take off all of August and two weeks after the baby was born, to help me and help settle to life as a parent. We were excited for our new arrival, and I'll be completely honest, my mood couldn't have been better. Though the summer had proven to be hot, it was still a blessing. I spent countless hours walking around with the dogs, who now all walked on the leashes like champs. When I wasn't walking, I was sitting in the back yard with Darcy, who had grown into a lovely, super friendly cat.

In the earlier weeks after the renovations were done, we had a lot of things we needed to buy. We painted the nursery a creamy off white color and Soda decided to splatter green and blue splashes on the walls. We didn't know what we were having, but personally, I didn't care. I loved the creative touch Soda added. We filled the room with a crib, changing table, dressers, anything and everything the baby would need.

The other two rooms were given to Soda and Riley, while Johnny was given their old room. We decided to let the boys have the two upstairs bedrooms, since they were much too loud to have downstairs when the baby was born. Johnny didn't mind having their old room, he said it was more than he could have asked for.

Steve, Two-Bit, Johnny, Soda, Riley and Darry had all been huge helps in the months leading up to the arrival of our baby. They were always itching to help, no matter what it was that needed to get done. I think the whole project really taught Two-Bit and Riley a sense of responsibility, especially when I assigned them the tasks of cleaning, feeding, and walking the dogs. They had no problem with that. Cleaning the kitty box was another story.

We had invested in a lot of baby gates too. The dogs were to be kept upstairs at night, with paper laid out in the new upstairs bathroom, so that we weren't tripping over them when the baby cried at night. Darcy was going to be closed in the downstairs bathroom at night, until we knew how she'd react to the baby.

The weeks leading to the birth of our baby seemed to fly by. When August rolled around, it seemed unbelievable that the baby was to come any day now. We took advantage of the 'calm before the storm' so to speak. We spent a lot of time just talking, laughing, and planning how we wanted to raise our child.

We'd come to a few agreements. First off, they'd be raised with manners. Something most of our gang lacked. Secondly, if they ever turned out like Dallas Winston, we'd ship them off to Alaska. And lastly, every decision that revolved around our child would be made as a team. I knew Darry was capable of being a great father. He'd done good with Soda and Ponyboy, but the question was, was I ready to be a mother?

* * *

_A/n;; This chapter spans over most of Kaylly's pregnancy. The only reason I did it this way, was because I really didn't want to spend nine chapters dragging out her pregnancy. I actually hate writing those chapters. :) I hope everyone's enjoying so far! And sorry that it's moving a little quickly. :P Trust me, it slows down once the baby is born. _


	14. Chapter 13

I went into labor early in the morning on August 13th. It was a bright, sunny Thursday. We made it to the hospital with plenty of time to spare, my contractions still several minutes apart. I declined when they offered me pain medicine. I wanted this to be completely natural. Safe. The way my mother did it.

I was there for six hours before the doctor finally told me it was time to push. Everyone except Darry was asked to wait in the waiting room. Riley gave me an encouraging smile, Soda gave me a hug, and the rest all wished me the best. The pain had taken it's toll, but in the same, I felt completely alive. Nothing is more amazing than bringing a baby into the world.

Mariah Shaynne Curtis was born at 12:53 pm. Her blue eyes shining as she screamed. I started to cry the moment I laid eyes on my wheat blonde hair. She had Darry's eyes and nose. She was absolutely beautiful. Darry began to sob when they let him hold her. Nothing was more precious than seeing the love of my life hold his daughter for the first time.

One by one, the gang filed in, each beaming proudly as they held their tiny niece.

"She's beautiful," Riley whispered as he held her. His eyes rimmed with tears.

"Oh, don't you start crying too!" I begged, sniffling. "Look at you! The last time you held a baby you were just barely old enough!" I teased. He smiled at that before handing his niece to Soda, who cradled her protectively in his arms.

"Wow, you two make cute babies," Soda teased, a huge smile on his face. I smiled at him, overwhelmed with joy. I felt absolutely blessed to have had no complications with the delivery.

After everyone had a chance to hold Mariah, Darry carefully handed her to me. I held her close to my chest, wiping the little tears from her eyes.

"Welcome to the world, Mariah Shaynne. Happy Birthday," I cooed, smiling proudly.

We were discharged later that evening. Everyone wanted to spend the night to help with the baby, but we managed to convince them that we had things covered. What with three extra sets of hands, we were more than prepared for the weeks of sleepless nights.

I refused to leave the nursery that evening. Instead, I slept in the rocking chair next to her crib, Darcy curled happily on my lap. Against my better judgment I had allowed the cat to meet the baby straight away, and much to my surprise, she wasn't the least bit concerned about the tiny crying human.

Darry stood behind me, his arms around my shoulders, a huge, proud smile plastered to his face.

"This is our family," he said softly, hissing the top of my head. Then he walked around to the side of the chair and got down on one knee.

"Kaylly Marie, will you marry me?" he asked as he opened a small velvet box, showing me a beautiful diamond ring.

"Yes!" I said as tears rolled down my cheeks. "I'd be honored to,"

He slipped the ring on my finger and kissed me sweetly, the smile never leaving his face. I reached up to hug then, just as Mariah let out a high pitched cry.

"Oh, babygirl ,don't cry," I said softly as I picked her up and held her to my chest. She fussed for a moment, then calmed down, her eyes closing softly. I smiled and rocked her back and forth, my eyes full of happy tears. I couldn't for a single moment, have asked for a better day.

We both took turns getting up to rock Mariah throughout the night, but whenever it was feeding time, Darry would come in and drop Darcy on my chest, waking me up with her tiny purrs. I would smile tiredly and go tend to our tiny pride and joy.

A week later, the lack of sleep was clearly getting to Darry. He was grouchy and often lashed our at Soda or I for the littlest of things.

"Darry, chill, go take a nap," I shooed him away early one morning when he was going on about the amount of laundry that had piled up. Soda was taking double shifts since Darry wasn't returning to work until the following week, and we had all been too tired to worry about laundry. "I'll do the laundry as soon as Mariah goes down for her nap,"

"Fine," he grumbled as he walked back to the bedroom and slammed the door. I heard him curse when he opened the door again and tossed Darcy into the hall. I shook my head and rocked Mariah in my arms.

"Riley, come get Darcy," I called softly. Riley got up from his spot on the couch and picked the small cat up. She meowed merrily in his arms, rubbing her head against his face. "Try and keep her outta the bedrooms for a few hours. As soon as Riah goes down, I'm going to get laundry done," I explained, using Mariah's petname.

"How's she doing this morning?" Soda asked. He was hyper as ever, not showing an ounce of exhaustion.

"She's great," I said with a smile. I rocked her back and forth slowly, watching her as she stared up at the ceiling.

"You look tired," Steve said as he walked through the back door, all three dogs in tow.

"I am tired," I admitted as I patted Hero's head with one hand. He looked at the baby in my arms, his tail wagging. "Where's Two-Bit? He's supposed to walk the dogs," I asked.

"Dunno. Riley gave me a shout earlier and said he needed me to take the dogs out," Steve shrugged.

"Riley, come here," I called, standing, still rocking Mariah in my arms.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Know where Two-Bit is?" I asked.

"No. I just know he didn't show up at 8 like he's supposed to," Riley said. "And I thought I'd stick around to take Mariah off your hands for a few hours," he added.

"Okay," I said slowly, thinking. It wasn't the first time Two-Bit fell through, but he normally had the decency to call.

"Listen, we got the kid, why don't you try to get some sleep?" Steve suggested.

"I have to clean up still. Darry's all over me 'bout the mess," I sighed as I handed Mariah to Soda. She looked at him, her eyes wide, a half smile playing on her lips.

"We'll clean," Steve offered. I smiled and thanked him.

"Give me Darcy," I told Riley. He handed me the cat and I headed towards the bedroom. Darry was sprawled diagonally across the bed. I sighed and closed the door behind me. Grabbing a pillow off the floor, I walked into the nursery and laid down on the thick carpet. I was so tired, I could have fell asleep anywhere.

* * *

I felt a cold nose press up against my cheek some time later, and opened my eyes to see a huge furry head in my face. I laughed and pushed Hero aside as I stood up. I stretched and tossed the pillow onto the now vacant bed.

"Hey," Darry smiled from the table the moment I walked into the kitchen.

"Hey," I said tiredly. He came over and gave me a hug, apologizing in the process. I smiled into his chest, my heart racing, just like it always did when we were close. Even after all those years, I still got butterflies whenever we were together.

"Soda's watching Mariah, Riley's off at the DX helping Steve with something, and Johnny's walking Hope," he said. I smiled at that. "Oh and they cleaned the house," he added.

"I know. They've been such a great help," I said with a smile.

"So, how's motherhood?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going. I think deep down, he was trying to make up for being a jerk the last few days.

"I love it. Mariah's a good baby. She's not crying all night anymore," I said with a smile. He nodded, he knew that already, since we took turns getting up for her. "Darry..."

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm not used to crying, puking, pooping babies," he said shaking his head.

"It's okay. It takes time," I said with a sad smile. It hurt me that Darry wasn't bonding with our daughter like I was. Shoot, Soda handled her better than Darry most times. "I get it Darry. You're used to teenagers filling your house, not a newborn," I said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry," he said again, this time, stomping out the back door, Hero at his heels. I sighed and walked into Soda's room, where he was holding Mariah, his eyes shining with pride.

"Hey Sodapop, I'll take her," I said with a sad smile. He nodded and carefully handed the sleeping baby to me.

"He'll come around. He just needs sleep," Soda said softly. I smiled and nodded before walking into the nursery, where I sat in the rocker, rocking sweet little Mariah until it was time for her next feeding.


	15. Chapter 14

The months had passed quickly, as I look at my growing daughter. She's watching me intently as I rush around the kitchen, trying to find my keys.

"Riley, get in here, I need you to babysit Riah," I called loudly. Mariah let out a sweet baby giggle, her blue eyes shining against the setting sunlight that was flowing in through the window.

"Coming!" he called as I heard him half stumble down the stairs. "Where are you going?" he asked when he reached the landing.

"Steve called me, said it was important," I explained hurriedly. In the six months since Mariah was born, I'd grown comfortable leaving her with either of her biological uncles unsupervised. Both proved to have a knack for babies, so I let it go. I wasn't like most new mothers, I had no problem letting other people see, hold, feed or change my daughter. The only time I worried, was leaving her alone. So Soda and Riley became the babysitters, whenever Darry or I were called away from the house. Or, in the case that Darry was working and I was called away from the house, whatever the case may be.

I locked the back gate before running down to my truck, slamming the door with more force than I had intended. I drove quickly, my hands tightly gripping the steering wheel, because I had a bad feeling I knew why Steve called me at 5 in the evening on a Friday.

"Hey," I said as I jumped outta the truck and ran over to him and Soda. Soda had an angry expression on his face, one I hadn't seen in months.

"Rumble, our lot, tonight, 9. I guess Two-Bit's gotten himself into some trouble and the Socs want to settle it. Our rules, no weapons," Steve filled me in.

"It just ain't right!" Soda growled, shaking his head.

"Easy, we got this," I told Soda.

"We're down numbers. Word got out that they've got us out numbered by at least half," Steve explained. "We need all the hands we can get. You in?" Steve knew I was always borderline these days when it came to rumbles. Not because I was older, or because I was a mother now or anything, but because if I got locked up, it'd severely complicate not only mine and Darry's lives, but Mariah's and Riley's too.

"I'm in. Riley'll have to watch Riah," I said with a sigh. "He's not gonna like it," I added. Riley'd been itching for a rumble since we got to Tulsa over a year and a half ago. But in all honesty, I was faster on my feet, and we all knew Soda and Darry weren't backing down.

"Two-Bit's heading over to your place now, wanna give Soda a lift home? He's useless 'round here right now," Steve said softly as he looked worriedly at his best friend. "Try and find out what's eatin' at him too," he added. I nodded and whistled. Minnie trotted over to me, grease on her nose.

"Well Missy, looks as if you've gotten yourself into the oil again," I cooed as I picked the wiggling dog up. She barked happily, her tongue brushing my nose.

"Soda, c'mon," I called walking back to the truck, Minnie still in my arms.

"My shift ain't over yet!" He yelled from his spot under a car.

"Go home, I got this," Steve said, pulling him out from under the car. "Kay needs you to watch Riah for an hour or so," he lied. I smiled at that. Soda would drop anything to tend to Mariah.

Soda sulked the whole way home, but the second Riley handed Mariah to him, I saw his eyes soften. I smiled at the precious scene, and ran into our bedroom to retrieve the camera. Naturally, I tripped over Hero, who was stretched out across our floor.

"Hero, you're going to be the death of me," I scolded the dog. He lifted his head and barked happily, his tail wagging.

I snapped a few pictures, smiling brightly at Soda, who was baby talking to Mariah, who giggled merrily.

"Can you watch her? I have to take Riley out for an hour or so," I said since Steve had already used that as our excuse.

"Sure," Soda said over his shoulder as he rocked Mariah in his arms. "Has she been fed?" He asked before I could leave.

"Yupp. She should go down for a nap easily. She woke up early today," I called as I pushed Riley out the front door.

"Where are we going?" Riley asked, his eyes wide.

"Just shut up and get in the truck," I grunted. I pulled away from the curb with so much speed, for a moment, I lost control of the old truck. I drove quickly, recklessly, anger in my veins. I slammed down on the breaks just outside the cemetery gates, throwing us both forward.

"C'mon," I grunted as I ran down the rows of headstones. I slid to a stop at Dally's grave. It was covered with moss and weeds, untouched since the last time I had come by.

Riley looked at me funny when I pulled him down next to me.

"Damnit Dally. We could really use you tonight," I growled. "We could have used the extra manpower."

"What are you talking about?" Riley asked, eyes wide.

"Riles, I love you to death, and I know you're itching for a rumble, but I need you to babysit. You can't get jailed anyway. They'd ship you back up to New York and dad'd chew you out for all the trouble. Tonight, you're going to sit home, with them dogs at your side, and hold up in the nursery with Mariah until Darry or I get home," I said strongly. "I've got a real bad feeling about tonight,"

It was a cold winter day. December 18th. Just days shy of the holiday. Whatever trouble Two-Bit got himself into, it was coming down on all of us now. We'd all been expecting it, but none of us thought it'd come this time of year. It was going to be dangerous, even though it was on our terms. The lot had slick spots, ice covering the potholes that had sense formed. The mud was iced over, and it was going to be difficult for anyone to keep balance, let alone protect their own backs. I was scared. Real scared.

To my surprise, Riley nodded.

"I get it. Tonight's just a real bad night for a rumble," he said. Suddenly it hit me. I knew why I was so scared.

"Mom died today, 8 years ago," I whispered. It hit me like a tone of bricks. I hadn't remembered that. Somehow, I had blocked that from my memories.

"Yeah," Riley said, nodding his head. "You go out and fight in her name, okay?" Riley said. I nodded and gave my brother a tight hug.

"Go back to the truck. I need a moment," I said. He did so without question.

I sat there on the cold ground for a moment, my hands going numb from the cold, before I finally asked my gone, lost friend for a favor.

"Dally, I need you to watch out for us tonight. I don't know where you are, buddy, but we need you to have our backs," I begged. "Please."

* * *

The house was quiet as we all came together, each lost in their own thoughts. We were all older now. None too eager for this rumble. Darry and I were 24. Far too old for the same ol' shit. Johnny was 20. Now, a strong young man, who no longer looked like a kicked dog. Soda was 21, strong, but bitter. I think the years had taken away his bright, loving heart. He was still reckless and kind, but his heart wasn't as pure. Not lately. Except with Mariah. Mariah kept him soft. Steve, now 21 as well, was kinder, more mature. He kept us together, I swear. He kept the gang going. Kept us from falling apart. And then there was Two-Bit, 22 years old, and still immature as ever.

The last year had changed us all. Mariah being born had kept us soft, but kept us from getting hurt. We hadn't had a single problem with the Socs up until Two-Bit did god knows what. That bothered me. A rumble without cause, it seemed.

I felt as if that night was going to change us all, one final time. How many would we lose? On that cold, bitter night in December, no one knew what they were walking into. Some didn't care. Some did it out of loyalty. Some did it out of fear. Some did it because there was no other choice. I did it for Mariah. Because as long as there was trouble, she was in danger. And no one was going to hurt my baby girl. Not while I'm alive to do something about it.

That night, our lives changed so completely, no one ever could have imagined it, no one could have possibly foreseen the outcome. Had we, we wouldn't have walked the short walk to the lot that night. We would have stayed home.


	16. Chapter 15

We were outnumbered to say the least. At least two or three of them for every one of us. Shepard's gang showed up, but they were short a number or two, and the Brumly gang fell apart a year or so ago, so it was already looking really bad. As usual, we all waited, waited for someone to start it. I felt nothing but cold run through my veins.

It was cold, so we were standing pretty close together. Soda and I were back to back, having already agreed that we were gonna stick together on that one.

When the first punch was thrown, all hell broke out. We all slipped and fell, rolling around like animals. A big guy landed on my chest hard, flooring me without even really trying. It took me a minute to get my breath back...

**Darry's POV**

I knew I didn't like the feeling I had about that night. It was too cold, too icy. I was trying to keep myself on my feet, and keep an eye on everyone else at the same time. Steve was having a hard time, his back up against the light pole, four guys circling him. I caught sight of Johnny coming to his aid.

I was slamming a few huge guys to the icy ground when I saw her go down. The look on her face scared me something fierce...

**Soda's POV**

When she went down, I lost it. I felt the anger flooding over me, and all I could see was red. I threw myself at the Soc who floored her, and tackled him to the icy ground. I made sure he paid for hurting her. His face, miles past recognition. Blood covered my hands.

That stopped me. This wasn't right.

* * *

I gasped and hauled myself to my feet. Dizzy, I lunged at the Soc closest to me, and pulled him down as my legs gave way. Bloody and weak, I smashed his head into the icy grass, my body landing heavily on top of his. He tried to push me off, but I was still carrying around the baby weight, so I was heavier than he'd expected. I punched him in the nose as my vision began to blur. It was then that I grew all too aware of the pain in my head.

**Riley's POV**

I was glad I wasn't at the fight. But Hero was antsy, too antsy. He kept barking at the window. Kaylly had told me not to let him out, no matter what. We were all piled in the nursery. Me, Hero, Hope, Minnie, Darcy and Mariah. Mariah was fast asleep in her crib. Darcy was curled up on top of her dresser, her tail flicking back and forth.

Hope stood up suddenly, her eyes wide. She let out a sharp bark and started scratching at the window. What the hell was making these dogs freak out?

**Two-Bit's POV**

I can't believe this is happening. Shoot, I didn't mean for it to turn out like this. Everyone's a mess. Shit, life's a mess.

* * *

I felt a shoe connect with my ribs. That did it for me. I stopped struggling, blood seeping from unseen wounds. My head felt like it was cracked open. My lungs burned, my heart felt like someone was stabbing it with a knife...

A knife. It came out so fast, I couldn't stop it. I felt it dig into the flesh of my shoulder, and pain took over. I screamed as loudly as I possibly could. But it was no use. The knife slashed again and again. Finally, darkness came.

Peace. Darkness.

**Steve's POV**

"They're running!" someone exclaimed happily. We all tried to get up, some of us too injured to stand. I looked around the dark lot and spotted Darry struggling to get up. His arm hung loosely at his side.

"Where's Kay?" Soda called from a few feet behind Darry. I scanned the lot but couldn't see her. It was Two-Bit who found her first.

**Darry's POV**

Screams echoed across the lot. It took all of my strength to reach her. She laid limply in a pool of her own blood.

"Kay!" I screamed sinking to my knees beside her. "Kaylly, don't you dare die on me! Don't you dare die!"

I looked up, tears pouring from my eyes, as a huge dog flew across the lot, it's fur flying in the cold wind. It took me a moment to realize it was Hero. Riley, carrying my daughter, close behind, tailed by Hope and Minnie.

"What the hell!" Riley cried, sinking to his knees, holding Mariah close. "No, no, no, no"

**Riley's POV**

Mariah was tucked tightly in my arms as I crouched over my older sister. I felt tears well in my eyes. Memories flooded me. Not her. God, you can't take her from me too. Her daughter needs her. Shoot, Darry needs her. God, don't take her away from us!

* * *

**Darry's POV**

The ambulance couldn't have gotten there quick enough. I'm not sure who called, and I didn't care. I just wanted her to make it. We had all striped off our shirts to hold against her wounds, but god, she was so pale, so lifeless, sometimes I thought she was already dead. Soda was trying to keep a straight face while he held Mariah, who was wailing loudly against the cold wind. Riley was frozen in shock. I think Two-Bit slapped him eventually to get him to snap out of it. I'm not sure.

When the paramedics started working on Kaylly, I told Steve to go back to the house with Riley, and to take Mariah with them. He did without question, Johnny following behind. Soda was close to tears as he listened to what the paramedics were saying. I couldn't grasp a single word. It wasn't far. Not her. Not her. Not her.

* * *

Pain. That became the only thing I knew. Pain, darkness and fear. I don't know how long I'd been slipping in and out, but it felt like a lifetime. To think, just yesterday I was holding my infant daughter in my arms, kissing my fiance goodbye as he left for work.

So much can change in one simple moment. So much can be lost.


	17. Conclusion

16 years later...

My mother died that night, back in December. I was too young to remember it, but my uncles and father have filled me in over the years. The fatal blow was the stab to her heart. There was no saving her, no matter how quickly or how drastic the effort. My mother died before the ambulance reached the hospital.

I visit her grave on a daily basis. I have ever since I was 10 and Soda showed me where it was. I sit with her for long hours, begging her to come back. Not that my dad and my uncles aren't doing a great job with me, they are. At least, my uncles are. Even after all this time, Dad is still checked out. It's hard to get him to talk about mom.

Riley said that Dad blames himself for my mom's death, but I don't see how. It was the Socs fault. They never should have broke the rules. We won the lawsuit after her death tho. The soc responsible for her death is facing 20 years to life in prison. Naturally they wouldn't give a high standing soc the chair. I think they should have. Because that night we didn't just lose my mom. We lost Two-Bit, who shot himself in the head as soon as word reached him that my mother had died. He blamed himself. We never learned the trouble he got in. The trouble that caused the rumble in the first place. At least, Soda tells me they never learned it.

I wish I could say I could remember my mom, but I can't. I've seen a lot of pictures tho. And I've read her diaries. I can't believe what she went through. All the pain, all the loss, it's amazing she never lost it.

I turned 16 this year. A birthday that used to mean so much. That should have meant so much. But instead, I spent it crying, because Dad hollered at me for asking about mom. I hate him. I really do sometimes. I just want to know what my mom was like. What her dreams were. What she loved. But Dad just won't talk about her.

Oh. We still live in the house he grew up in. It's starting to look run down now, because no one really cleans. Soda, Johnny, and Riley all moved out a few years ago, so the house is empty. Empty and lonely, except for the litter of puppies sleeping in the spare bedroom. They're the great grandchildren of Hero. I don't remember him much either. I was six when he got hit by a car.

* * *

"Mariah, get down here," I heard my father call. I got up from my desk and covered the old, tattered journal with my notebook, in hopes no one would see it. I walked down the stairs slowly, wondering what in the world I had done wrong now.

"Come here," Dad said, motioning to the spot next to him on the couch.

"Yes, Daddy?" I asked softly, my heart pounding in my chest.

"You want to know about your mother, right?" he asked, his voice soft, gentle.

"Yes, but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I said truthfully.

"I want to. I also want to show you something," he said. He got up and pulled an old chest from behind the couch. "This was your grandmother's. You mother inherited it after she died," he explained. "I stored her things in here...after..." his voice broke and he let the sentence drop.

"Your mother was a beautiful, strong willed woman. She was independent, outspoken, and stubborn. She loved her dogs to death, and love this family more than life itself. She lived with my brothers and me for years before she and I made anything official. I'll always remember the night I told her I loved her. Her sapphire blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight." his voice was soft, faraway.

I listened silently, afraid if I cut him off, he wouldn't continue.

"Your mother adored you. You were her pride and joy, and she would have done anything and everything for you. When you were born, that was the happiest day of our lives. Seeing your mother hold you for the first time...That will forever be the picture I cherish," he continued.

I saw a flash of anger in his eyes, and I almost got up. But he shook his head.

"The night your mother died, was the same night your grandmother had died, 8 years earlier."

I remembered that. Not the event itself, but having read it in my mom's journal.

"Dad?" I asked softly, looking up at him.

"Yes?"

"I just want you to know, that I love you," I smiled and threw myself into his arms. He hugged me tightly, a single tear falling from his eyes.

That night, I got the answers to all of my unasked questions. I learned the truth, and I learned the memories that haunted my father for all eternity.

We made a decision that night. To move out of the old home, and move out of Tulsa all together. Riley and Soda had gone up to New York to work on my grandfather's ranch after he passed away – I guess Riley inherited the land since my mom was dead – and I told Dad that that was exactly where I wanted to go.

So a month later, we packed up a moving truck, packed the puppies in the pick up, and we made our way on the long journey, New York bound.

And so the story ends with a bitter sweet touch. My mother's grave untouched in months. The loss heavily remembered the hearts of those who were there. No one wanted to be in Tulsa anymore. Steve moved across the country, without telling anyone except maybe Soda. Johnny moved out to Windrixville or at least, so we know. The gang had shrunk and fallen apart, everyone too bitter, too scared to ever mention, let alone participate, in a rumble again.

I learned an important lesson, from reading my mother's diaries. It doesn't matter which side of the city your from, it doesn't matter who wins a rumble. A soc is still a soc, a greaser still a greaser. The only thing we can do, is stay gold, as long as we possibly can.

* * *

_a/n;; I was going to continue the mini series, but decided to end it here. I thank everyone who has continued to follow the story! And I always appreciate reviews and feedback! I'll probably be starting a new Outsiders mini series soon, so keep your eyes open. :) I haven't decided if I'm going to recycle any of my ocs or not though, so who knows. :)_


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